Angel of Oops
by ShanaHollows
Summary: The Fairy Tail Division of Heaven didn't know what to do with him. Natsu Dragneel was incapable of performing his duties without major disaster. Known as the "Angel of Oops", they pair him up with an unlikely mentor in an attempt to give two young ladies a chance at a normal life. It's not clear, however, who is giving who that opportunity. **Don't own characters of Fairy Tail**
1. Chapter 1

Natsu sat in the fluffy chairs outside of Makarov's office with his arms crossed. He was _miserable._ He could hear the yelling inside the office. He didn't mean to cause trouble. And yet trouble seemed to favour him. Much more than the other angels.

"It was an honest mistake!" Mirajane was saying, "It could have happened to anyone!"

"Anyone?" Laxus scoffed, "He let a dark guild into Heaven because he figured _everyone_ should be allowed here. In the first hour, they staged a coup and tried to overthrow Heaven!"

"He just wants everyone to be happy," Mira huffed, "Okay, so he can't be a gatekeeper."

"I just don't know what to do with him," Makarov sighed, glancing between Mira and Laxus, "I mean, we've tried _everything."_

"You've tried the growth division?" Laxus asked.

"He thought it was fun to grow things and overran an entire city with spaghetti squash," Makarov sighed, "It took the townspeople weeks to clear it away. Hundreds upon hundreds of spaghetti squash…at least no one went hungry that winter."

"How about the season division?" Mira asked.

"He thought every day should be sunny, bright and hot. He caused a heat wave that lasted 300 days and killed all the crops in the eastern division…unfortunately, that was _before_ the squash incident and everyone went _hungry_ that winter," Makarov sighed deeply, "We've also tried him in the weather, the sky, the animal welfare, and the tree growth divisions."

"I remember when he was in the animal welfare division,"Laxus chuckled, "He overproduced the frogs because he thought they were cool. There's still remnants of _that_ disaster."

"He means well," Mira said slowly, glancing out the window at the pink haired boy, still sitting in the chair, "He's got such a pure heart…surely there must be a job _somewhere_ that would be suitable for him."

"They call him the _Angel of Oops!"_ Laxus laughed, "There's nowhere that's suitable for him."

"The problem is," Makarov stated, ignoring Laxus's last comment, "He has no _common sense."_

"How is it that he has no common sense but has such a pure heart?" Mira asked, surprised.

"He died as a child," Makarov said, "He was very young. He didn't have a chance to be taught morals or experience things. He doesn't understand what humans need to survive. He never knew love."

Laxus wrinkled his nose, "How could he not know love?"

"His parents abandoned him," Makarov said, "He was passed from family to family. The last man he lived with disappeared. And then Natsu died. He has never known love and he just doesn't understand what it is that's required of him to do good for the humans."

"How did he die?" Mira asked slowly.

"By accident," Makarov said solemnly, "He was hit by a wayward bullet. Just in a bad neighbourhood at the wrong time. He was alone at the time. Nobody even realized the mistake. He was so young that he has no memories of the incident. He thinks he's always been here."

Mira sniffed back a tear.

"Well, he's not a child now!" Laxus exclaimed, "He's had tons of time to learn!"

Mira studied Natsu's forlorn face again, "Then maybe _we_ need to teach him," she said slowly, "We could send him on a Cupid mission."

"ARE YOU NUTS?" Laxus stood up, slamming his fists on the table, "He would have people falling madly in love with lampposts and stuff like that! That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard!"

Makarov was tapping his fingers on the table, contemplating.

"With a mentor," he said slowly, "We'll choose a pair of friends or something and send him with a more experienced angel."

"You're playing with fire, old man," Laxus warned, "It's bad enough to let him mess with weather or growth…now you're letting him play with human emotion. He's called the _Angel of Oops_ for a reason!"

"With a mentor!" Makarov reminded.

"There's not an mentor in Heaven that could teach that moron about human life and love!" Laxus snapped.

Mira watched as Natsu cringed outside the window. His head lowered.

"He can hear you," Mira scolded, "Laxus, I wonder if _you_ should be the one learning things from a more experienced angel! You have no tact at all!"

Ignoring Laxus's protests, Mira pulled out a big book, glancing through available missions to see if she could find a suitable one.

"Aha!" she announced triumphantly, "This one right here!"

The men leaned into the table, trying to read Mira's handwriting. Failing miserably, they both leaned back and waited for her to explain it to them.

"Lucy Heartfilia, aged 22. She's a runaway heiress. Levy McGarden, also aged 22. She was hired be a maid at the mansion Lucy ran away from when her mother retired. They're best friends. And they've recently run into some trouble. They moved to Magnolia about two days ago. Both girls are in the process of getting jobs and a place to live."

"So why do they need angels?" Laxus asked.

"Lucy is afraid to let anyone near her," Mira said, "Although she grew up in a mansion, she also grew up not knowing love. Her mother died when she was very young. Her father pushed her away and basically let the maids raise her. Levy is the daughter of one of those maids. In turn, Levy hasn't allowed anyone close to her either. All they have is each other."

"I don't get it," Laxus said, "Poor little rich girl. Sorry – but I find it hard to feel sorry for her. You think shooting her in the butt with a Cupid's Arrow is going to solve everything for her?"

Makarov snickered. Leave it to Laxus to be blunt about the situation.

"No!" Mira snapped, "I think if Natsu and a partner can get these girls some semblance of a happy life, then he'll learn what it is to be human! And she's _not_ just some poor little rich girl. There's a lot more to her story than meets the eye."

Both men sat back, contemplating her proposal.

"Who would we get to go with him?" Makarov asked.

Mira's eyes lit up, "Glad you asked! I have the perfect person!"

She flipped open her book of Angel Agents, turning the pages until she found the one she was looking for.

" _Gray Fullbuster?"_ Laxus exclaimed, "Have you fallen out of a cloud and bonked your head? That's a disaster waiting to happen!"

All three of them knew Gray and Natsu didn't get along so well. Gray could be very…mean to Natsu, often calling him horrible names and laughing at his every mistake…and there were _lots_ of mistakes.

"Gray needs to grow up too," Mira stated, "Where Natsu has a pure heart, Gray is a bit of...well, he's a jerk. He's cold to everyone he meets. Still, he's had ample experience in these missions. Maybe not Cupid, but human intervention. It might give them both a chance to figure out how to work together and they could both learn something in the process."

"I'm against it," Laxus stated, "If those girls are messed up now, just wait until Flame-Brain and Ice-Twit get ahold of them. You'll ruin them for life."

"No," Makarov said slowly, "I think this could work."

"Gramps," Laxus said, warning edging in his voice, "Really think about what you're considering."

"My boy," Makarov said, eyeing his grandson, "The Fairy Tail division of Heaven is responsible for keeping Earthland happy and functioning. And we do a good job of it. But there should be a division looking after our people too. Both Gray and Natsu have seen more pain and sadness than any one person should see. Gray is cold and uncaring at times. Natsu doesn't have a clue about anything. If a mission like this has a chance of making those two boys understand what happiness is, I'm going to agree with it."

Laxus stood up and headed for the door, "Don't say I didn't warn you," he muttered, exiting the office with a slam.

* * *

Gray slammed his hands down on the table, "No!"

Makarov was unamused with Gray's outright defiance, "It's not up for discussion."

"But my Seasons Unit! Spring is about to turn into summer! I have trees to give fruit to and water to warm for swimming! You'll disappoint _millions_ of Earthlanders!" Gray protested.

"As if someone else can't do that," Mira rolled her eyes. Then she said firmly, "What's the real reason, Gray?"

"I don't want to go on a mission with _him_!" Gray snapped, pointing angrily at the forlorn boy beside him.

Natsu looked at his feet as Gray continued on his rampage.

"He screws up everything he does!" Gray yelled, "And we're not messing with something that can be corrected…these are _human lives_ we'd be toying with!"

"You sound like Laxus," Mira commented, filing her finger nails nonchalantly.

Makarov learned forward, grabbing Gray by his ear, "Come with me, you whiny brat!"

He dragged Gray out of the office by his ear.

Natsu continued to look at his feet.

"He doesn't mean it," Mira said softly, noting the broken look on Natsu's face.

"Yes he does," Natsu said, "I'm the _Angel of Oops._ I'm a screw up. Just like he said. There's no place for me here. I screw up everything I do."

"Natsu," Mira leaned forward, taking Natsu's hand in her own, "It's going to be okay. I have never met anyone as sweet and innocent as you are. You have so much to offer. You just need to learn boundaries and self-restraint. This mission will make you look at Lucy and Levy's hearts and see what they need. I'm willing to bet it's something only you can do."

Natsu lifted his gaze slightly, eyeing the pretty white-haired woman, "You really think so?"

She nodded, squeezing his hand, "I really think so."

Makarov returned, only letting go of Gray's ear once they were inside the office again.

"I'm looking forward to this mission," Gray stated in a monotone voice. The icy look in his eyes said otherwise, but Natsu tried not to let it bug him.

"Good," Makarov said, "Then check this out."

He tapped a button on the desk, a vision of an apartment popping up on the lacrima-vision, "This is apartment 2-B. Your apartment. Levy and Lucy have apartment 2-C. Your mission is to get to know them, gain their trust, then give them the confidence they need to find happiness. Got it?"

Natsu nodded. Beside him, Gray let out a less than enthusiastic, "Woo hoo."

"One more thing," he nodded and instantly Natsu and Gray were dressed in human clothes – jeans and a t-shirt. Gray wore a gray t-shirt with black jeans. Natsu's t-shirt was blue with blue jeans.

"I hate human clothes," Gray muttered, "They're so _restricting."_

Mira stifled a laugh. In Heaven, the men wore loin clothes and the ladies wore white dresses. Having been on Earthland missions a few times herself, she understood his disgust.

"Okay then," Makarov hit a button. A door opened, the apartment on the other side of it, "Good luck boys. I'll be sending a supervisor to check on you."

Gray went through the door without looking back.

"Natsu," Mira caught Natsu's arm, pulling him back slightly, "Don't be afraid to show your feelings. Don't let Gray run all over you."

Natsu nodded hesitantly, then stepped into the door, which disappeared from the office in a blaze of light.

"I really hope this won't end badly," Makarov commented, sighing heavily.

"I think it'll be okay," Mira said, patting his bald head, much to his annoyance, "Something tells me it'll be just fine."


	2. Chapter 2

Natsu rushed around the apartment excitedly, the anxiety of going on a mission with Gray temporarily forgotten. He glanced into every room. He'd never had a place of his own before. At home, he bunked with a bunch of other angels who didn't have families. He was far from the only orphan. Of course, he was the only 23-year-old orphan there. Most of the other orphans his age had long since gotten their own places, moving with their permanent Heavenly jobs. But Natsu, after turning of age to start finding the job that would be perfect for him, kept ending up back in the rooms with the orphans due to his continuous botched jobs. It was yet another source of anxiety for him...so this was incredibly exciting.

"There's two bedrooms!" he said excitedly, "We can both have our own rooms! Oh…but only one bathroom. We'll have to share that."

"I get the big room," Gray said flatly, passing him as he walked down the hall to the door of the bigger bedroom. He was buck naked, his clothes falling to the ground behind him, "You can use the bathroom if I'm not. I get first dibs. And if I need it while you're in there, you have to get out. Biggest rule of all: Stay out of my way."

Gray slammed the door behind him.

Natsu tried not to let it bug him. He explored the kitchen, curious about all the things in there. He liked how the refrigerator opened and the magnet would suck it closed again. Angels had no reason to eat or cook, however. The oven was a complete mystery to him. He toyed with the cups and the cutlery, accidentally knicking himself with a paring knife. He watched as the blood on his thumb pooled. It didn't hurt, but it was _fascinating._

Going into the living room, he found the television. It looked like a lacrima-vision. He wondered how to make it go on. Sitting down on the sofa, he jumped probably 10 feet high when he sat on the remote control and the TV came on by itself.

"What the—"he smiled jubilantly, picking up the small device when he accidentally changed the channel with his butt, "Oh! I think I get it!"

He flipped channels for a moment, settling on a show where a man was dancing and people were laughing. He couldn't see the people who were laughing. Strange.

Forgetting about the TV after a few moments, he opened the door to the balcony and looked out. He had seen human cities before, but this one was large. There were streets and people walking and cars…he glanced across the street where a woman was changing in the apartment building in the apartment closest to his. He watched her as she slid her pants down her hips, undoing her bra at the same time.

She turned and caught his eye, screaming at the top of her lungs before slamming the door shut after yelling out an angry, "PERVERT!" and pulling the curtains shut. Natsu cocked his head. _That_ was an odd reaction.

He looked down below, watching the people walk and talk. An older lady was crossing the street. A young man rushed to help her as a car that was going too fast came a little too close. On another corner, a man was handing out flowers to people. They were touching his hand, putting something into it. Natsu reached down into his own pocket, pulling out the rectangular paper that Makarov had given him. He had called it _money_. He thought it was peculiar that people would want paper in return for a flower. Flowers were so much prettier. The person who got the paper was kind of…getting the lower end of the deal. He kind of felt sorry for the poor suckers.

His glance landed on a young girl, walking her dog. She had blonde hair that came just past her shoulders. Her lips were red. She wore a blue jogging suit. Natsu couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was _pretty._ Her eyes were chocolate coloured (Natsu loved chocolate). She patted her dog with love in her eyes.

Her dog was a medium-sized lab of some sort, white in colour, with a distinct orange nose. He squatted, doing his business on the grass. That wasn't the part that surprised Natsu. What surprised him was when she bent over and _picked it up_ with a white piece of soft cloth.

Humans, he decided, were weird.

He continued to watch her as she encouraged the dog to hurry up, pulling on his tether lightly. When the dog was done, she finished cleaning up his business and proceeded to the front door of the very apartment building he was standing in. His heart beat a little faster.

Deciding he wanted to meet her, Natsu ran for the door that would lead out of the apartment. He ran straight into the door.

"Ow!" he exclaimed.

Doors in Heaven were walk-through for the most part, with the exception of private doors like the one in Makarov's office. Obviously, this one was a private door. He turned the handle. Excited, he stepped out into the hallway, then turned and shut the door again. He decided to turn the handle once more to make sure it would open again. Satisfied he wouldn't be locked out, he turned and walked down the hallway.

He found stairs leading to the bottom floor and followed them, finding even more doors.

The pretty blonde girl was just getting into a strange metal box that dinged as he walked toward it. He looked at it up and down. What an odd device.

"Hello," he said sweetly to the girl.

She looked at him, her dog jumping up on him immediately and knocking him over.

Natsu laughed gleefully as the dog licked him all over his face.

"Plue!" she scolded, pulling on the leash to regain control, "I'm so sorry – he never does this. I swear!"

Natsu sat up, petting the dog lovingly around his head, "He's so cute! I'm not sorry at all. He's made my day."

She cocked her head as she watched him interact with her dog, "He doesn't normally like people he doesn't know," she said softly, "What is it about you?"

He grinned a full-faced grin, nuzzling the dog lovingly, "I like animals," he said plainly.

He got off the floor, following her as she made her way inside the elevator.

A dinging sound happened, then the doors closed. Natsu lost his balance as the rectangular box made a motion. He felt kind of sick suddenly. The doors dinged again and the girl got off the elevator. He looked around, curious. Somehow it had magically transported them to another room. He was back on the floor where his apartment was. He rushed out, hurrying to catch up to her.

"I'm Natsu!" he said, trying to extend a hand in welcome.

She glanced back, a glint of weariness in her eye, "And why are you following me, Natsu?"

"This is my apartment," he said, gesturing to 2-B.

"Then we're neighbours," she stated, walking ahead to 2-C, "See you around, Natsu."

"Okay! Bye!"

Natsu stood there, grinning like an idiot, long after she shut the door behind her.

"Ugh," he realized, "I totally forgot to ask her name."

Shrugging, he went back into his apartment, shutting the door.

Gray was in his boxers, sitting on the couch, watching some TV show.

"You're naked again!" Natsu commented.

"Too restrictive!" Gray reminded, "Where have you been?"

"I went walking," Natsu said, "I watched off the balcony for awhile, then decided to go meet this really pretty blonde girl. There was so much to look at. There was this really cool silver box that dinged and you get inside it and -"

"I actually don't care where you went," Gray interrupted, "Shut up. I'm watching a show."

Obediently, Natsu sat on the couch beside Gray, "A show," he repeated.

There was a man beating up another man viciously, smacking him over and over again in the face and stomach. Natsu cringed as blood flowed from his mouth.

"Gray, what are you watching?" he asked in alarm.

"It's a cop show," Gray muttered, "Relax. It's not real. It's entertainment."

Effectively having beaten up the other man, the man continued down a hall, finding other men to beat up. Natsu wasn't sure he liked this show. He understood it wasn't real, but he didn't know why anyone would find enjoyment in people getting hurt. That made no sense to him.

Sighing, Natsu went out to the balcony again. He realized this would quickly become his favourite place in the apartment. There was so much to look at. He glanced over the rail again before catching movement out of the corner of his eye. The blonde girl was also out on her deck.

"Hi!" Natsu said brightly.

The girl glanced at him, nodding slightly.

"Why do you collect your dog's poop?" Natsu asked bluntly, "What do you do with it?"

"Oh my Mavis! You were _watching me_! PERVERT!" the girl exploded. She turned on her heel and slammed the glass doors.

Natsu was confused. She was the second woman to slam a glass door because of him today.

The glass doors to _his_ apartment were still open…and Gray was laughing his head off.

"You moron!"

"I don't understand," Natsu said softly, coming back into the apartment and sitting on the couch forlornly.

"She wasn't _collecting_ the dog's poop," Gray explained, in a very mocking voice, "She was putting it in the garbage so other people wouldn't _step_ in it. Didn't you ever see that happen when you were alive?"

Natsu shook his head, "I've never been alive."

"Haven't you ever studied human behavior before?"

Natsu felt his self-confidence drop down to zero, "No."

Gray watched him for a minute, turning off the TV, "Never?"

Natsu shook his head and Gray felt a pang of guilt run through him.

"Okay," Gray said quietly, "Tomorrow I'll teach you about humans."

Natsu looked up suspiciously, "Really?"

Gray nodded, "And we'll see if maybe we can rectify whatever damage you did with Lucy."

"Lucy?"

"The girl. Or at least I assume that's Lucy."

Natsu nodded.

"Alright, _Angel of Oops_ ," Gray said, standing up, "Time for bed."

Natsu didn't say anything as he followed him down the hall. Gray disappeared into his room naked (Natsu wasn't even sure how he'd lost the boxers between the couch and his bedroom) while Natsu stood outside his very own room for awhile.

He wasn't sure he could handle his mission. In less than a day, he'd already made two women mad. Maybe Laxus was right. Maybe he _didn't_ belong _anywhere_.


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy knew pretty much from the second she put her foot on the ground that it was going to be a bad day. She stepped in Plue's business.

"Aw, Plue! I was getting up! You couldn't wait?"

Sighing, she cleaned her foot off in the bathroom, then cleaned up the mess. After taking Plue outside, she came back to the apartment, only to realize she'd left her keys inside. She sighed, taking out her cell phone and dialing Levy.

Levy didn't bug her about it. She told Lucy to go get a shower and she'd make coffee. Lucy obeyed, enjoying the hot water immensely until she realized she hadn't unpacked her shampoo yet. Yup. This was going to be a _great_ day.

"We'll need groceries today," Levy said as she sipped at her coffee, "And we can finish unpacking, then maybe see if there's any jobs out there for us."

Lucy nodded. They had enough money for a few months' rent, but things were getting tight quickly. With every name change, with every change of city, it became harder to adjust to new identities.

"Don't look so glum," Levy said, offering a smile, "We've moved towns before and bounced right back."

Lucy tried to return the smile, "It's always the same, Lev. We move, we get new jobs, they find us, and then we run."

Lucy nodded. Levy really was the best friend she ever could have asked her…the only friend she had.

"I know," Levy poured herself another coffee, "But we always manage. Chin up! I have a good feeling about this place. Have you met the neighbours yet?"

Lucy snickered, "Our neighbour next door has pink hair. Pink! And he's some kind of pervert. Yesterday he rode the elevator with me and Plue was all over him."

"That's odd," Levy furrowed her brow, "Plue doesn't like anyone but us. Especially not men."

"I know! And then when I was out on the balcony, he comes out and asks me why I _collect_ Plue's poop! Like I make a mural out of it or something!"

Levy laughed, "Maybe he's a country boy."

Lucy sighed, "Maybe he's an ax murderer."

"If Plue likes him, he's not dangerous," Levy pointed out.

Lucy nodded. She had to admit that much was true. They both realized early on that Plue had a 6th sense for people who were untrustworthy.

"Okay – so groceries and job hunting," Levy said. She got up, draining the last of her coffee as she put the cup in the sink.

"I'm glad you're so hopeful, Lev," Lucy said as they locked the door and left the apartment, "I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Levy hugged her as they rode the elevator down to the ground floor, "You've been there for me too. We'll be okay. You'll see."

They said goodbye at the apartment doors.

Lucy sighed, deciding to start with grocery shopping first. She hated looking for jobs.

* * *

Natsu and Gray walked the streets of the town, Gray getting more frustrated by the minute between Natsu and the restrictive clothing he had to wear. Natsu had to stop and look at _everything_. He watched a street player pick out tunes on his guitar for 10 minutes, freaking Gray out when he copied some of the townspeople putting money in the guitar case. Not that he was opposed to tipping the guy, but he had to explain to him that $100 was a tad much. The guitar player watched with annoyance as the $100 bill was replaced with a $5 bill.

He took Natsu to a park to watch the children play. His eyes lit up as he watched them. His body vibrated with excitement.

"You want to go, don't you?" Gray asked flatly.

Natsu didn't even reply as he ran up the stairs, sliding down the slide with his arms over his head, squealing gleefully. He spent a lot of time climbing the monkey bars, but decided he didn't like the swing at all. It made him dizzy.

After a good hour, he caught up to Gray on the sidewalk. He was oblivious to the odd looks he was getting from suspicious mothers who had been herding their children away from him for the last hour. Then _REALLY_ moving away as Gray lost his shirt and pants again.

"I like Earthland!" he exclaimed, "That was fun!" he cocked his head, "Gray – your clothes."

"Normally, twenty-somethings don't do that," Gray explained, getting dressed again, "Parks are generally for children."

"So what do twenty-somethings do?" Natsu asked.

"C'mon. I'll show you."

* * *

Gray took Natsu to a mall. Natsu's eyes were wide as they toured around, entering stores. Gray bought a silver chain with a cross on it, putting it around his own neck. Natsu watched with interest, but didn't ask for one for himself. He watched as Gray passed the cashier the paper rectangles in exchange for the necklace.

"I don't understand," Natsu said as they sat at the food court. Gray had bought them a hamburger and fries each and also a Pepsi, "This money…why do humans exchange it for stuff? Like this hamburger…isn't it better than money? Why would the guy rather have it than the hamburger?"

There were girls surrounding the table, gawking at Gray's nude chest. The shirt was gone again.

"He's so hot!" a girl exclaimed.

"Hmm..abs like that should be _illegal!"_ another squealed.

Gray sat back, shooting them a sexy grin. An ego boost was always a good thing.

Gray turned back to Natsu, "You really are stupid, aren't you?" he asked, not noticing the downcast look in Natsu's eyes as he said it, "Money is currency. We don't have that in Heaven. In Heaven, everything we need is provided for us. It's different here on Earthland. You have to exchange currency to get what you want. If you don't have money, you can't get stuff. Never, EVER take something from a person if you don't give them money. That's stealing and it's wrong. People who make money can exchange it for stuff too. Or they can bank it and keep it for later. Everything costs money. It what makes the human world go round."

Natsu nodded, trying to absorb the new information. He wanted to ask if the world literally stops if money doesn't get exchanged, but suppressed the question. He didn't want to be called stupid again.

"Try the burger," Gray urged.

Natsu looked down at the burger and fries in front of him. Eating was unnecessary in Heaven. He was unclear why Gray insisted that they eat this.

Copying Gray's movements, he picked up the hamburger with both hands and raised it to his mouth, taking a bite. His eyes widened at the myriad of tastes invading his taste buds.

"Good, right?" Gray pushed Natsu's Pepsi to him, "Try that."

Again, Natsu's eyes grew wide, "Amazing!"

"Humans like different kinds of food," Gray said, "Too much of the same thing gets boring. They like variety."

Natsu finished his entire meal, grinning ear-to-ear, "I think I like Earthland," he repeated.

Gray shook his head, "Moron. Okay, next we're going to a pool hall."

"What about your shirt?"

"Shit. Okay, first we're buying a shirt…then we're going to the pool hall."

Natsu grinned ear-to-ear. He was having a great day.

* * *

Gray took Natsu to a pool hall, then bowling. Gray was frustrated, using all his strength not to pound the _Angel of Oops_ into the ground. They ended up leaving the pool hall before their game was finished. Natsu had missed the ball he was aiming for and inadvertently launched the cue ball straight into the back of some guy's head.

Bowling had gone a bit better, but again, they'd been kicked out when Natsu accidentally chucked his ball the wrong way. The ball had released from his hand, flailing backwards and destroying a trophy case. Gray had grabbed Natsu by the shoulder and _run._

As they walked on their way home, Gray tried to keep them to less traveled paths. He'd seen two sets of cops pass by already. Natsu was oblivious, busy trying to absorb all they'd seen that day and work out where his mistakes had been made.

"I'm going to go in here," Gray said, pointing to a pub, "You…just really shouldn't come with me. Go home, okay? Think you can find the apartment okay?"

Natsu nodded, taking the bags that they'd purchased from the mall, "What's in there, Gray?"

"Alcohol," Gray said, drooling slightly, "But you aren't ready for that yet. Not in public anyway. Go home. I'll seeya later."

Natsu continued down the street on his own, watching people as he went. As he rounded the corner to where his apartment building should be, he realized he was in the wrong place. The apartment was not there. He began to run, searching for a familiar area. He saw the park they'd stopped at earlier and knew he was on the right track, but which way was the apartment? That's when he saw Lucy coming around the corner. He couldn't warn her in time and they collided, her groceries falling everywhere.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" she yelled.

She burst into tears as she sat up from where she fell and began collecting the groceries in a hurry. Natsu watched the wet drips come from her eyes, resisting the urge to touch her.

"I'm sorry," Natsu said, stooping down to help her, "I didn't mean to. Here…let me help you."

He started placing groceries back in bags as she dusted herself off, tears still streaming down her face. He glanced up at her, noting how upset she was even now that the bags were cleaned up. Yet another thing he didn't understand.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She sniffed, bending over to put the last of the groceries back in bags, "I'm fine," she said in a low voice, "I'm just having a bad day."

"I hope it's not because of me and what I said yesterday," Natsu said awkwardly, "I've never seen anyone pick up poop before. I'm sorry about that too."

He blushed, looking down at his feet as she watched him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the strange man in front of her.

"Where I come from, people don't do that," he mumbled, "I didn't mean to scare you."

She nodded slowly, "It's okay, I guess. Weird…but okay."

"Can I help you get these home?" Natsu asked, with a small smile, "It's my fault everything went everywhere. And I'm…kind of lost."

She smiled back, handing him four of the seven bags, "It's my fault too," she said, "I was carrying too much. What was your name again?"

"Natsu," Natsu said, giving her his best smile, "And your name is –"

He paused, realizing he'd already freaked her out yesterday. It was better if she thought he didn't know already. He'd screwed up enough for one day already.

"Lucy," she replied.

"Why did you have a bad day, Lucy?" Natsu asked as they crossed the road.

She shrugged, "Lots of stuff. I just can't seem to do anything right today."

The truth was, she'd just come from the grocery store after a confrontation with a woman who thought Lucy was trying to budge in line. Lucy had bowed out of the line immediately, retreating to the back, but not before the woman proceeded to call her every name in the book. People were really ugly sometimes.

He could relate to not doing anything right. Story of his life, "I have days like that too. Sometimes it seems like there are more days like that than good days."

They turned another corner, the apartment complex coming into view, "There we are!" she said, giving him a small smile.

They entered the building together, getting into what Natsu knew now was an _elevator_. The ding indicated they were at a different floor. It was  not magic. Gray had explained it to him this morning.

They came to his door, but he followed her to hers since he had her bags.

"Wait there," she said, using her keys to open the door, "I'll come back for those bags."

He did as she said, waiting patiently.

"Thank you," she said, reaching for the bags. Their fingers brushed. He liked the warm tingle that shot through them.

He smiled again, turning for his own door as she went to shut hers.

"Natsu?"

He turned back toward her. She offered a tender smile, "I'm glad you're not a pervert. I'm sorry I judged you yesterday."

He nodded, opening his own door and entering the apartment. He would definitely have to ask Gray later what a pervert was.


	4. Chapter 4

Gray was still holding his sides, laughing uncontrollably. Natsu cocked his head, unsure of what was so funny about it.

Gray had been out for most of the night, arriving well after Natsu went to bed. It was morning now and Natsu asked his question as they were having their morning _coffee_ , a beverage Natsu discovered he really, really liked.

"Gray?" he asked.

Gray was trying not to spew his coffee everywhere, "I swear Natsu – you've got to be the biggest idiot in the universe."

Natsu frowned, unsure why Gray insisted on insulting him all the time. He wasn't sure if Gray had _ever_ said anything nice to him. Well, there was the mall yesterday. Natsu had enjoyed that and Gray had been somewhat nice to him, when he wasn't almost beating him to death for the two MINOR accidents he'd caused at the pool hall and bowling. But he was awfully quick to ditch him when they came across that pub place. Of course, that had provided Natsu with another opportunity to see Lucy. He was glad for that. Natsu decided he liked Lucy. He hoped he could find a way to make her happy and complete his mission.

"So explain to me why that's so funny," Natsu said in a flat voice, "It must be something pretty hilarious to make you laugh so hard."

Gray managed to calm himself down. Natsu had told him about the woman in the other apartment building that had called him a pervert, and then how Lucy called him one too, yet told him he wasn't one yesterday.

"Personal space," Gray told him, "Humans value their privacy. You don't watch women change. She shouldn't have done that in the window, knowing there were other apartment buildings around. But _you_ shouldn't have watched her. A pervert is someone who doesn't respect personal boundaries. They like to watch people do things they shouldn't."

Natsu nodded, now understanding what he did wrong. He still didn't understand why Gray thought it was funny, "But Lucy says I'm not a pervert now."

Gray stifled another laugh and a smartass comment, "She's warming up to you, Natsu."

Natsu felt a flash of warmth run through his body, "Do you think so?"

Gray nodded, "Pretty soon, we're going to have to try to meet Levy too."

Natsu cocked his head again, noting Gray was once again completely naked, "Hey Gray? Are _you_ a pervert?"

Gray looked at him directly in the eye, "A pervert is someone who _watches other people._ I'm not doing that. Sometimes, you just gotta let it all hang out. I'm not waving it in front of people, other than you. And you don't count. As long as I'm not out in the street, don't judge me."

Natsu really didn't know what to say to that...they were out in the street yesterday while Gray stripped a few times. Deciding it wasn't worth another verbal assault, he changed the subject.

"So what are we going to do today?"

"Today, we're going to do something the humans do to relax. Today, we're going fishing."

Gray was proud of this plan. Not even Natsu could screw up fishing.

Natsu grinned. It sounded good to him. Fish were _adorable._

* * *

Lucy thanked the restaurant proprietor and left whistling. Well, that was that. She was employed again. It was only waitressing, but it would bring money in. And that's what she and Levy needed. Money to put away so when the time came again…

She sighed, rounding the corner to her apartment building, looking up at what would be Natsu's window.

He was interesting. And she wasn't sure why he crossed her mind more than once today. It was odd enough that Plue liked him, but she found herself kind of liking him too from the few conversations they'd had. He had an innocence about him. There was something odd about him that she couldn't put her finger on. At any rate, he didn't seem dangerous to her.

When she got home, she had her shower, then sat on the couch while waiting for Levy to get back. It was getting dark out now. The stars were starting to come out. Lucy made her way out to the balcony. She loved the stars.

Natsu was already out there, talking to himself under his breath.

"Natsu?" she asked.

He turned to her, instantly breaking out into a grin, "Oh hey, Lucy!"

"Are you okay?" she asked, "Sorry – I don't mean to pry, but you seemed kind of…upset just now."

He sighed, glancing out over the city, "I've had one of those days."

She nodded in understanding, beckoning with her eyes for him to continue...if he wanted to.

"Today, my…friend…took me fishing. It was my first time."

"You didn't like it?"

He shook his head vigorously before answering with an excited exuberance Lucy was not expecting considering his earlier quiet contemplation, "No, I did! It was thrilling! When the fish bites the hook, you get this _rush_. I can't even explain it!"

She chuckled, knowing the feeling. She liked fishing too, "So what's the problem?"

He frowned, trying to find words to explain it to her, "Gray – that's my friend – said we had to bash its head in with a rock whenever we caught a fish. I wouldn't do it. I grabbed the first fish and threw it back before he could kill it."

"And your friend – Gray – wasn't too happy with you," Lucy stated slowly.

Natsu sighed, "Nope. Not the first time or any time after that. I just don't understand why he'd do such a thing."

She laughed again, "How many did you throw back?"

"All of them!" he exclaimed, "Probably 2 dozen!"

"Some people like to eat the fish they catch," Lucy said.

Natsu wrinkled his nose, "But they're living creatures! And they're so _cute!_ "

Lucy glanced at him. _Fish? Fish are cute?_

"Are you a vegetarian?" Lucy asked.

"A what?"

"Vegetarian. Do you eat only vegetables?"

He paused, considering his answer, "Well, I suppose I eat meat too," he said slowly. The truth was, he normally didn't eat at all. There was no need for it. But he couldn't tell her that.

"It's okay to eat fish," she said, "But I see where you're coming from. Bashing its head is a quick death. But you can also catch and release like you did today. Catch them, but send them back to the water. It's really a matter of preference."

He smiled, coming over to the edge of the balcony so he could see her eyes, "That wasn't the only reason he got mad at me."

"Oh?"

"I caught more than him," Natsu admitted, "And my fish were all bigger. Gray was going on and on about the amazing fisherman he was. I think I made him feel bad."

She giggled, "You're kind of funny, Natsu."

"I am?"

She nodded, "You're weird. But in a good way."

He laughed, turning his gaze back up to the stars.

"Do you like stars too?" she asked, also looking up.

He grinned, "Definitely. They make me feel closer to home."

"Where's home?" she ventured to ask.

He paused, realizing he'd said too much, "I'm from a place a long ways from here. What about you?"

She sighed, "I'm from everywhere, I'm from nowhere," she laughed, "Make sense of that if you can."

"You don't belong anywhere?" he asked.

They were both at the edges of their balconies, maybe 2 feet apart. Her face had a shadow cross it, like she was hiding something or unclear how much was safe to confide.

"No," she said finally. She didn't elaborate. And he wouldn't ask her to.

"Me neither," he admitted.

"What about family?" she asked, "Where are your parents?"

"I never knew my parents," Natsu said glumly.

She didn't press further, instead offering, "My dad just died a year ago. We didn't get along and I haven't seen him in a few years, so it's all good. But I get what you mean. I don't have family either."

They looked at each other momentarily, silently bonding over the moment.

"What about your friend?" she asked finally, breaking the silence, "He took you fishing today…doesn't that mean you have somebody that cares?"

Natsu sighed. He would really rather not answer that, "Gray is kind of like a big brother, even though we're the same age," he said, "He likes to bully me. Calls me names. I think deep down, he doesn't actually hate me…but I annoy him. He gets frustrated easily and we've only been living in this apartment for a few days."

There. That was very close to the truth without revealing anything pertinent.

She nodded, "My friend, Levy, is amazing. I would call her a true friend. My only friend. No matter where we go, she sticks to me like glue."

"You're lucky," he said, his glance returning to the sky, "I would give anything to have a friend like that."

"You must have other friends."

He shook his head, but didn't reply.

"I don't either," she said, "We never stay in one place long enough to have real friendships...and I don't want friends anyway. It's just a good way to get really hurt."

She glanced at him, watching him watch the stars. She didn't know what it was about him that made her like him so much…or trust him so much. She was unaccustomed to letting strangers inside her personal bubble. Something about him made her feel calm and protected.

She watched him. His pink hair was unruly, but it made him cute. His onyx eyes shone, flecks of green sporadically gleaming. He gazed at the stars with intensity. It kind of sounded like _everything_ he did was done with intensity.

"But maybe it's okay to give someone a chance once in awhile," she took a deep breath, watching his forlorn face, "We can be friends."

"What?" he turned to her.

"I like you," she said, almost in a whisper. She wasn't sure what was making her so bold, especially since she only met him…well, yesterday! "We can be friends."

"You like me?" he asked so incredulously that Lucy wondered if he'd ever been told that before. He turned to her, his eyes shining so brightly, Lucy thought perhaps she was seeing things, "Thank you Lucy. I would like that."

Lucy heard the door lock click in her apartment, "Levy's home!"

She disappeared inside the apartment, greeting her friend.

Natsu felt all warm and fuzzy inside. He was friends with Lucy! It felt amazing…a real friend. And she wasn't being _forced_ to be nice to him!

He heard the apartment door open in his apartment too. He supposed he should go try to smooth things over with Gray.

"Natsu, meet Levy!" Lucy called, reappearing at her balcony door. Levy poked her head out, waving as she stepped out on the balcony. Lucy sighed. He must have gone back in. Her face fell. Natsu would have to meet Levy another night.

 _ **I haven't figured out what setting I've changed that I can't seem to reply to comments!**_

 _ **Anyway, thank you to all who have commented and liked the story. I'm having fun with it.**_

 _ **To Meiliani, I agree that Gray is a bit OCC...but give him a chance. Gray has a back story too that might explain the off-personality. (Wink!).**_

 _ **I should also mention that I adore Gray. I think him and Natsu's friendship is so awesome and I love pairing them as friends, almost as much as I love Natsu and Lucy in a relationship. However, writing him as a bit of a jerk has been kinda fun too!**_

 _ **Until next time!**_

 ** _~ShanaHollows~_**


	5. Chapter 5

The girls were drinking a glass of wine – cheap wine. It was a celebration. They had both gotten jobs.

"So you found a library to work in?" Lucy asked.

Levy nodded, "A historic one at that! The head librarian said that if I prove myself, he'll let me help him one day when an artifact comes in. They get them regularly. It's the librarian's job to decipher the script. I really, _really_ want to do that!"

Lucy clapped her hands, excited for her friend, "So cool!"

"Now if only we could get you a job where you could write instead of serve!"

Lucy lost her smile, "Lev…"

"I know, I know," Levy sighed, rolling her eyes, "Too public, right? A dead giveaway. That's why they have pen names, you know."

Lucy nodded. She loved to write. They were never really in one place long enough for her to establish herself as a viable writer anyway, even if she _could_ get a job where she could write.

"You should just confront them," Levy said quietly, "Maybe you could just give the keys to them and they'll leave us alone."

Lucy was quiet for a moment, "You know I can't do that, Lev. My mother's..."

"I know...it's your last link with her. But aren't you tired of running? We've been doing it since we left home."

Lucy didn't reply, knocking back her wine.

"Lucy," Levy poured her another glass, handing it to her, "We both deserve to have some stability. Just think about it, okay?"

* * *

"I said I was sorry," Natsu grumbled under his breath.

Gray was in a rotten mood. He'd done nothing but gripe since he'd walked in the door. He stripped to his boxers.

"It's called FISHING, Natsu…you're supposed to eat what you catch. Bashing it in the head is the humane way of killing it quickly."

Gray heaved out a sigh, deciding to back off for now.

"Make any progress with Blondie today?"

Natsu's face brightened, "You were right – she told me we could be friends today. She called me weird, but in a good way."

Gray laughed, "Well, I can't argue with her there."

Natsu frowned, wondering if that was meant to be a compliment or a put down.

"How are we going to meet Levy?" he asked.

Gray hummed to himself, opening what he called a _beer_ and drinking it back.

"Well, I suppose the best way is to see if we can run into her at some point."

"Maybe Lucy will introduce us now that we're friends."

Gray shrugged his shoulders, reaching for another beer, "Maybe. Do you want one of these?"

Natsu looked at the can, "Okay…"

Gray cracked the tab for him and passed it over.

Natsu smelled the beer first, wrinkling his nose, "You like this stuff?"

Gray grinned, "Trust me – once you have some, you'll be hooked."

Natsu smelled it again, looking at Gray inquisitively before finally taking a swallow. He shut his eyes, forcing himself to swallow. His face contorted into a half-gag.

"Good stuff, right?" Gray asked, laughing at Natsu's expression, "Drink it back. The more you drink, the better it'll taste!"

Natsu forced himself to take a second swallow, then a third. He didn't feel the need to please Gray, but he was curious. Gray had been going out almost every night for a beer. He said during his life, it had been a regular pastime.

Pretty soon, Natsu had downed the whole can. With a couple beers in him, Gray's mood was getting better too.

"Now, Natsu, I'm going to introduce you to the thing that makes human men everywhere zone out from their lives for days at a time…other than women. I'll tell you about _that_ another day. Tonight…. we are going to play…. _video games_."

"Video games?" Natsu asked.

"To do this, you need to have MORE BEER!" Gray tossed him another one, "Part of the reason you piss everyone off so bad is because you don't know how to loosen up," Gray preached as he pulled out a Wii U and started plugging it into the wall and the TV, "I would rather have had a PlayStation," he said, unwrapping the controllers, "But beggars can't be choosers and this was at a 2nd hand shop for a great deal. It's the man-code down here on Earthland – beer and video games!"

Natsu wasn't sure. Sometimes it seemed like Gray wasn't worried about their mission at all. He still hadn't actually met either of the girls at all…and they'd been there for 4 days.

"Man-code," Natsu repeated, sitting down in the armchair. He took the controller that Gray offered him hesitantly.

"Yes, Natsu – _man-code!_ " Gray grinned ear-to-ear. Natsu was a little daunted…he thought it might the only time he'd ever seen a grin from Gray EVER…except when Gray was laughing at him about something.

"Man-code is an unwritten rule that exists between men. We all live by the man-code."

Natsu tried not to show his utter confusion about this new piece of information. Every fibre of his being wanted to ask ' _so what's the rule then?'_ He didn't dare. It seemed that Gray was going to try to show him and if Natsu ticked him off now, he might _never_ know!

"Are you ready, Natsu?" Gray asked, jubilantly downing the last of his 3rd beer. Third? Was it more?

Natsu took a deep breath, chugging the rest of his 2nd beer as Gray tossed him yet another can, "As ready as I'll ever be," he muttered under his breath.

Gray presented a cartridge to him, unwrapping it and holding up a disc triumphantly: Smash Bros, "Behold, _Angel of Oops_! I get to beat the crap out of you and not get in trouble for it!"

Natsu was still watching Gray, a little bit overwhelmed and unclear about what to do. Drinking beer and playing video games had nothing to do with their mission. He was pretty sure the girls next door had gone to bed. Was this okay?

* * *

Four hours later, Natsu didn't care if it was okay. He had stopped counting the amount of beer he had had…and he had mastered multiple characters on Smash Bros. He still wasn't completely sure what 'Man-code' was, but he gathered it had to do with male bonding…and for the first time since they'd been here, Natsu felt like maybe Gray could be genuinely enjoying their time together.

"I kicked your ass that time!" Natsu yelled, slurring slightly, completely unaware that he'd just sworn, courtesy of Gray's example.

"You did not!" Gray argued, "The #1 was by _my_ character!"

"Yeah! _BY_ your character! On _MY_ character!"

Gray kicked over another beer. Natsu was feeling funny. He felt loud and boisterous and way more confident than normal. He wasn't sure if it was the beer or the video games doing it to him, but the room was starting to spin.

"OKAY! Let's go again!" Gray yelled, having switched off his old beer with a new one. His boxers were gone and Gray was completely naked now.

The boys were hollering so loud as they pounded each other on the video game that they didn't hear the knock at the door at first. The knocking got louder and finally, Gray turned his head.

"Pause!" he yelled, hitting the pause button and stumbling to the door, forgetting that he had absolutely no clothes on.

He opened it, his eyes widening as he saw it was Levy and Lucy. Levy gasped at the naked man in front of her, eyeing his body up and down in shock. Lucy covered her eyes.

"Hi," he slurred, shooting Levy a look that she guessed was _supposed_ to sexy, "Wassup?"

"Wassup?" she mocked the word, moving her head around to represent drunkenness, "You!" Levy yelled in his face, "You're up! _In more than one way!_ It's 4:00 in the morning! Enough already! Go to bed or I'll call the cops!"

Natsu stumbled across the apartment, looking out the door, "Hi Luce," he said bashfully, his face quickly going red. She looked really pretty. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail. He wondered if that was what Gray meant by 'bed head'. She was in her pajamas.

"You got Natsu drunk?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"You're cute," Gray smiled at Levy, ignoring Lucy's comment, "Wanna come in? I have a friend for your friend."

Lucy was already edging for her own door.

"I want you to go to bed!" Levy yelled.

"Can I come with you to your bed?" Gray asked, reaching out with an unsteady hand.

Levy round-house kicked him in the stomach, sending him reeling back into his apartment. Levy spun on her heel, grabbed Lucy's arm, and guided her back to their own apartment.

Natsu stood in shock, giving Lucy a little wave as she disappeared back into her apartment.

"Gray?" he slurred, "Are you going to sleep now?"

Feeling the world revolve in three different directions, Natsu fell face-down on the ground beside Gray, "Okay…Me too."


	6. Chapter 6

**Two new chapters for you today! I didn't want anyone to think poor Natsu was going to loose _all_ his innocence!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **~ShanaHollows~**

"Natsu," a voice was saying beside him, "Natsu, get up."

Natsu lifted his head, cringing at the massive pain in it, "Uggghhhh."

"Natsu, you slept with your apartment door wide open! C'mon! Get up!"

Natsu put his palm to his forehead, begging the loud noise in his head to stop as he sat up. The world came somewhat into focus and he realized it was Lucy beside him. She was dressed in her regular hoodie and jogging pants now, on her knees looking at him with concern. Gray wasn't on the ground beside him anymore. He must have gotten up at some point and moved to his room.

"Why does it hurt so bad?" Natsu grimaced, closing his eyes, "Everything is spinning."

She giggled, "Don't tell me you've never had a hangover before."

She already guessed that he hadn't.

"Hangover?"

"Stay there. I'll be right back."

Lucy disappeared back to her apartment as Natsu attempted to make his eyes focus. A moment later, she reappeared.

"I don't like this feeling," Natsu told her, "Why do I feel like this?"

"You drank too much. By the smell of it, beer was the culprit," she told him, grabbing his hand and opening his palm. She dropped two white pills into it. There was a glass of water in her other hand, "These are aspirin. Swallow them."

He stared at the water.

"It's okay, Natsu…it's just water," she assured him.

He tossed the pills back into his mouth and gratefully accepted the water she offered.

"I did drink beer," he admitted, "But I didn't know beer would make me feel like this. Never again. Never."

"Can you stand up?" Lucy asked, "The best thing to do is go to bed and sleep it off."

He tried to get up, but the room was spinning.

She sighed. She could have left him on the floor. He was fine there all night. She had been on her way to her first shift at the restaurant when she saw the open door. In this city, it was a bad idea to leave your apartment wide open, let alone sleep in the doorway. Plus, she felt a little bit sorry for the pink-headed child-like man.

"I'll help you," she said, slinging one of his arms over her shoulders, "I assume your apartment is just like ours. Is your room the big one or the little one?"

"Little," he mumbled.

Natsu couldn't put any strength into his legs at all. Lucy ended up dragging him down the hallway and into his room. She looked around. He had no belongings. Literally none. There were no books, no posters, no personal pictures, nothing! His bedspread was plain and brown.

She tried to maneuver his weight so she could help him into bed, but he stumbled and fell, trapping her under his big body on the mattress.

She turned red, trying to move his arm.

"Luce," he whimpered, "I feel so gross. How long does a 'hangover' last?"

She was pushing his torso, trying to get away. He was making no efforts to help her. His torso was pressed against hers, "It'll go away, I promise, Natsu. Can you…move please?"

"I can't," he whined, "It's like my whole body is weighted down. My head hurts sooo bad! I'm pretty sure I'm dying."

"You're kinda dramatic when you're hung over," Lucy flashing him a quick smile, still struggling to remove herself from him, "Please Natsu. I need to go to work."

He lifted his head slightly, realizing he had her pinned on the bed. Their noses were inches apart. He felt a different heat run through his body as they locked eyes. He felt an odd sensation. He had no idea what it was at all.

"Lucy," he whispered.

She stopped struggling for a moment, trying to read him. He looked confused, innocent, sick as a dog…and something along the lines of lustful all at the same time. She shook her head. She doubted Natsu was capable of lust.

"I'm going to throw up," he warned her.

Ripping her body out from underneath of him, she dodged to the door.

He collapsed back onto the bed, murmuring as he fell asleep, "Sorry – false alarm."

She helped him shift his body so that he was somewhat under the covers, "Sleep well, Natsu."

As she left the room, she flicked out the lights and shut the door. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding as she slid down the wall. He confused her. He made her want to help him. He made her want to confide in him. Just now, she was pretty sure he was going to kiss her…until he instead announced about the throwing up. She didn't understand what it was about him.

Sighing, she let herself out of the apartment, being sure to close the door behind her.

* * *

Natsu sat on the couch, still grumbling about his hangover. He woke up an hour ago in his bed, his head still aching and stomach churning. It was better now, but not until he'd heaved into the toilet twice.

"Get over it," Gray snapped. For some reason, he was perfectly fine now.

"You're a bad influence!" Natsu exclaimed, "Beer is…really bad!"

"It's not bad," Gray muttered, snatching a controller from beside him, "You're just a pansy. Go for a walk. The fresh air will help."

Natsu opted to take the stairs down instead of the elevator. He didn't like the elevator. It always made him feel…weird. Walking through the apartment buildings front doors, he took a deep breath, letting the air cleanse him. He walked the streets for about an hour before deciding to return home, already feeling a little better. This time, he kept track of where he was so that he'd get home with no particular trouble.

As he reached the apartment, he recognized the blue-headed companion of Lucy's getting out of a cab.

"Levy!" he called out.

She stopped and turned, acknowledging him with a nod, then continued to walk.

"I just wanted to say sorry about last night," Natsu stated as he caught up to her.

"Don't worry about it," Levy gave him a small smile, "It's not like I've never had a night like that."

"I didn't want to meet you like that," Natsu apologized, "I'm Natsu."

"I've heard a bit about you," Levy said.

Natsu offered his hand for a shake, but took it back when she continued walking, "I've never had beer before. That was a first for me," he admitted, "And probably a last."

Levy giggled, "Lucy told me she helped you this morning on her way to work when she texted me at noon. Bad hangover, huh?"

"Never again," Natsu groaned, "But I'm feeling a bit better now."

They started walking into the building, Natsu hesitating as she selected the elevator, "Are you just coming from work, Natsu?"

Natsu paused. Work?

"No, I just went for a walk. Gray said it would help with the hangover."

Levy nodded.

"Lucy said she had to work today too," Natsu cocked his head, wondering internally what that meant.

"We both did," Levy stated, stopping at his door, "What do you and Gray do for a living?"

Natsu scanned his brain for an answer, remembering something comical he'd seen on the side of a building. Gray hadn't thought it was _that_ comical, "Um…we're in Human Resources."

She nodded and he let an inward sigh of relief, "Glad you feel better, Natsu. Seeya around."

He gave her a little wave and opened the door to his apartment. Gray was still on the couch, playing video games.

"I met Levy," he said, dropping onto the couch beside Gray.

"Good for you."

"What's _work_ , Gray?"

Gray paused his game, turning to him, "It's how people get money. They do jobs for people and receive money for what they do."

"Lucy and Levy both work," Natsu said, realizing his headache had disappeared.

"Good for them," Gray returned to his video game.

Natsu watched him for a moment. Gray was good at ignoring him. But shouldn't they be working a little harder to help Lucy and Levy?

As if Gray had read his mind, he began to speak, "I know what you're thinking and no…you can't go to work. Our work is finding a way to help Levy and Lucy. I need to teach you a few things about how Angels can interact with humans before we can really get down to it. We have 'abilities' to help us with our work."

"Levy asked me what kind of work we do. I said we were in Human Resources."

Gray glanced at him, a smirk on his lips, "You know, that was actually a half decent answer…for a complete dumbass, anyway."

"I think my 'hangover' is gone."

"That's great, Natsu."

"Can you put the video games away and start our work now?" Natsu asked, trying not to beam with Gray's version of a compliment. _A half decent answer!_

Gray sighed heavily. Couldn't a guy take a few days to himself first? But Natsu had done well at interacting with the girls and Gray supposed he could try harder. It was just so nice to be back in the land of the living, doing normal, human things.

He turned the Wii U off and turned to Natsu.

"Okay," he said finally, "but you have to listen to what I say and do as I do."

Natsu nodded.

"So Angels have a few abilities. You must never EVER let a human watch you use any of these abilities. And they are only to be used for helping your person. Got it?" he didn't give Natsu a chance to reply, "The first one you'll need to know is _relocation._ That's when we need to go to a different room or whatever. Like this."

Natsu watched as Gray lifted his hand and made a snap between his fingers, " _Relocate…to kitchen."_ He said as he made the motion. Gray's body disappeared and two seconds later, he rounded the wall from the kitchen.

"Cool!" Natsu exclaimed.

"The second one is called _shadows_ ," Gray continued, "We use it for disappearing quickly…to hide. Sometimes it's good for observing as well without being detected."

He walked to the wall, tapping his wrist, " _Shadows."_

Gray disappeared into the wall. Natsu looked around, confused.

" _Unshadow,"_ Gray said. His body reappeared on the other side of the room, "I used the edges of the wall to travel the room. Basically, you can go anywhere a shadow does."

Natsu nodded. Gray didn't realize he was stripping again…right down to the buff.

"We also have an ability to _nudge_ , "Gray told him, "We can't interfere with human will, but we can _nudge_ some humans to notice things that may have gone unnoticed. Or help them make a decision that they're wavering on. I'll have to demonstrate that another day since it's just the two of us here."

Natsu nodded, listening intently.

"Another ability is called _Transparency,"_ Gray said, snapping his fingers. Instantly, he began invisible. He reached out and grabbed Natsu's hand, "See? I'm still here. You can't see me, but you can still touch me."

He snapped his fingers again, becoming visible.

"I wanna try that one first!" Natsu exclaimed, "Tell me how to do it."

"Okay," Gray stood beside him and raised his fingers into a snapping position, "Snapping your fingers only is not going to make it happen. You have to visualize it. Heaven doesn't have magic per se, but it does channel its' energy to you."

Natsu copied Gray's stance.

" _Transparency_ ," Natsu said, snapping his fingers. Nothing happened.

"Channel the energy," Gray repeated, "Think about what you want to do."

Natsu closed his eyes, willing the energy to make him invisible, " _Transparency."_

Natsu's body disappeared from Gray's sight. He could hear Natsu's footsteps moving toward the bathroom, presumably to look in the mirror.

"Okay, that's awesome!" Natsu laughed. He snapped his fingers again, becoming visible.

Gray gave a lop-sided grin, "There's a few more, but knowing you, if I cram more into that miniscule brain of yours, it'll blow up…and I don't feel like cleaning up the mess! Lessons are over for today."

Natsu's eyes grew wide, his hands gripping the pink hair on either side of his head.

"I didn't mean literally, you moron. Seriously Natsu…your stupidity amazes me sometimes. You should be put in a zoo for all the world to see." Gray sighed, "Wanna play Smash?"

"Maybe later," Natsu decided, "I don't want to drink beer."

"You know, you _can_ play Smash without beer," Gray dead-panned.

"That's not what you said last night! You said it was the _man-code."_

Sighing heavily, Gray opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. There was seriously no point in clarifying.

"I'm going to practice," Natsu said, heading for the door.

"Best idea ever," Gray mumbled sarcastically, sinking into the couch and picking up the controller.

Natsu shut his eyes, " _Transparency."_

Satisfied that he was now invisible, he headed out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Natsu felt a sense of giddiness as he strolled down the street. There was something _hilarious_ about not being visible to the average humans.

He tested it, walking up to random strangers and waving his hand in their faces. Once, he got a little too close and the lady actually touched his hand, jumping back and looking around.

"What is it?" her friend asked.

"I swear something touched me. Must have been a bug," the lady said as they continued they way.

Natsu suppressed a giggle, taking off in the other direction.

An older man was walking by him. His wallet fell to the ground. Natsu thought about calling out, but realized that might not be such a great idea.

" _Nudge,"_ Natsu whispered to a young girl walking by the wallet.

She stopped and picked up the wallet, running after the man with it high in the air, "Mister! Hey Mister! You dropped your wallet!"

Natsu smiled as the older man patted the girl on the head and thanked her. He liked these abilities. He could see now why Angels liked helping the humans. A warm feeling spread through him.

He was so busy concentrating on the warm feeling, that he didn't realize two teenagers had just walked straight into him. Another group of teenagers was walking by at the same time.

"Watch where you're going!" one of them yelled.

The other group of teenagers were confused, completely unsure why the first group was insisting they'd walked right into them. Natsu decided to walk away at that point as the two group started to scream at each other. If Gray knew he'd caused a fight, he'd call him names for sure. He'd have to be a _little_ more careful.

He practiced each of his new abilities one by one, even getting so brave as to test two of them at once. He was in _transparency_ again, then added _relocate_ , popping around the village square. Although there was nobody to appreciate his newfound talents, Natsu had the time of his life.

A couple hours later, Natsu had become visible. It was fun, but it was definitely making him tired. Perhaps he wasn't completely over the hangover.

The sun was starting to set. Natsu stopped to stare at the glow of it as it sank behind the mountains. It was peaceful…and Natsu appreciated peaceful. He stood in the middle of the town square, watching the sun set. This was a view he didn't get to see in Heaven. And it was beautiful.

"Natsu?"

He looked over, smiling as he recognized Lucy. She strolled up to him, glancing around, before coming to a stop in front of him. Her hoodie was up. Natsu thought she looked totally adorable like that.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Look," he pointed.

"I don't see anything. Just the usual. People and buildings."

He took her hand and led her to stand on top of the fountain wall. The slightly higher vantage point gave a little more view.

"The sunset," he said, not letting go of her hand, "Isn't it wonderful?"

"I suppose so," she said softly, regarding the child-like wonder Natsu had written all over his face as he watched the oranges dance with the pinks while the sun sunk lower and lower. She looked down at their hands. He hadn't even realized he'd grabbed it, let alone hung on. She squeezed it gently and he broke his gaze away from the sunset momentarily, smiling warmly at her.

"Things like this make me remember that the world is a beautiful place," he said, helping her down, "No matter how rotten your day has been, a world that can produce such beauty can't possibly be that bad."

He let go of her hand. Lucy watched him as he continued to watch the sky. That was a pretty deep thought he'd just had. He was really different from everyone she'd ever met. He looked at everything so differently…with a child-like innocence. It was like he was viewing the world for the first time.

"I see you must be feeling better. Are you just out for a walk?" she asked finally. The sun was disappearing now.

"Yeah!" he said, turning his full attention to her, "How about you?"

"Just got off work," she said.

They turned toward home, walking slowly together.

"Your first day, right? How was it?"

She sighed, "There's a bit to know…but my boss is amazing. She's so patient."

"Maybe I'll come there tomorrow for lunch," he said.

She nodded, realizing just how much she hoped he would, "That would be nice."

They were passing an alley, almost home, when suddenly Natsu froze.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I hear something," Natsu replied. He walked down the alley, listening carefully.

"Natsu!" she called, "What are you doing? You can't walk down an alley at night! It's dangerous! Let's just go! This place is…creepy."

"Lucy! Come here!"

She followed his voice, flinching at the shadows. Everyone _knew_ it wasn't safe to go down alleys at night. Everyone but Natsu. He didn't seem to have any fear of anything.

She saw him stooped over something, talking gently to it.

"What is it?" she asked, approaching slowly.

He turned around, uncovering a small something in his hands.

"A kitten!" Lucy exclaimed, "The poor little thing!"

The tiny kitten mewed. Lucy doubted it was old enough to be away from it's momma, but there were no momma cats in sight.

"He'll die out here," Lucy commented, "We can't leave him. But I also can't take him home. Plue won't like that."

"Then _I'll_ take him!" Natsu declared.

She watched him as he spoke softly to the kitten, again blown away. Natsu was such an enigma. How had he even heard the tiny thing so deep in the alley anyway?

"We need to go to a store," she said, "We'll need soft food and kitty litter."

Natsu's face lit up, "I've never had a pet before. Will you teach me, Luce?"

She laughed, sticking her arm through Natsu's. She loved his enthusiasm, "C'mon. It's pitch black out now and the stores will close soon. We need to hurry."

* * *

An hour later, Lucy, Natsu, and Levy were sitting at Natsu's couch. The tiny kitten was gratefully eating the soft food off a little plate on the coffee table.

"He's so cute!" Natsu exclaimed, petting his little head.

"Is he as cute as fish?" Lucy teased.

Natsu cocked his head. _Both_ were cute…but the kitten was _his!_

"No contest," he answered, "Kitten is cuter!"

The kitten purred, rubbing his head momentarily against Natsu's hand before returning to his meal.

"What are you going to call him?" Levy asked, also petting the tiny kitten.

The little kitten's fur was grayish blue. He had a white chest and white markings on his feet, almost like socks.

"Happy," Natsu said without hesitation.

"Happy?" Both girls repeated, glancing at one another.

"He makes me happy," Natsu stated, like it was obvious, "So his name will be Happy."

Levy pet the kitten's little body, giggling when he rubbed against her hand.

"I think Happy is appropriate," Lucy smiled, "He is actually extremely happy. And hungry! He ate that whole can. Where did he put it all? He's so little!"

"We'll have to go get more tomorrow," Natsu agreed.

They heard the door open, Gray stalking in after some fun at the pub. Sauntering into the living room, he paused, looking over the two girls and Natsu huddling over something on the table.

"What is that?" Gray asked, trying to identify the object.

"And he calls _me_ an idiot," Natsu muttered, making Lucy giggle, "It's _obvious,_ isn't it?"

"Hello Gray," Levy said sweetly, "Nice to meet you again…fully dressed this time I see."

Gray shot her a look, then remembered why he was there in Magnolia in the first place. He needed to make nice. This was a golden opportunity to bond with the two ladies they were supposed to help.

"Hi back!" he said, feigning cheerfulness. He came closer, finally settling on the floor beside Levy. He nudged the kitten slightly with one finger. Happy slid underneath his hand and purred.

"Okay," Gray said, petting the animal as he walked back and forth under Gray's hand, "He's kinda cute. I'll admit it."

"Not just kinda!" Natsu laughed, "He just ate this whole can of wet food! When he mews, he sounds like he's squeaking! And look how big his eyes are! And his fur is ultra soft – like probably the softest fur ever!"

Gray let out a small chuckle, "I can tell you're in love in with him already."

"His name is Happy," Lucy offered.

"Hey little guy," Gray crooned, continuing to pet him.

"He's _my_ cat, Gray," Natsu warned.

"Fine by me!" Gray shot back, "Cuz I ain't changing the litter!"

Natsu looked at Lucy, who had just finished explaining the litter box to him…he figured he could handle it anyway. Picking up poop wasn't so bad once Lucy explained the concept of _paper towel_ and _pooper scooper_ to him.

"Maybe," Levy said, standing up as noted the obvious tension between the boys, "We should go."

"Thank you for letting us help get Happy settled," Lucy said, backing up toward her friend.

"You're welcome to stay," Natsu said, "Gray introduced me last night to Smash Bros. Ever tried it?"

"I happen to have 4 controllers," Gray grinned.

"And it's OKAY not to drink beer when you play it!" Natsu assured them emphatically. He paused, wondering if women could be part of the Man-Code. He'd have to ask Gray later.

The girls glanced at each other. They hadn't associated with other people in so long.

"Why not?" Lucy announced, "We have an hour before we should be in bed anyway."

"But you have to stay dressed!" Levy warned Gray with a finger in his face.

Gray threw his hands up in mock innocence and proceeded to pass out the controllers.


	8. Chapter 8

Lucy was in a good mood the next day as she served tables at 8-Island. They had stayed up two hours past what was supposed to be bedtime so they'd get a proper sleep, but she had no regrets. It turned out, the boys were great company. Gray could be really funny when he wanted to be. Of course, Levy had still had to beat him senseless until he learned to keep his clothes on around them.

He and Natsu traded trash-talk as they creamed each other in Smash Bros. By the end of the night, Levy agreed with Lucy that they were really different than most other people. There was something about them. They'd had a lot of fun - the first bit of fun Levy and Lucy had had in a long time.

"Lucy, can you take these plates out to Table 4 for me?" Juvia, her boss, asked, "I'm kind of tied up with getting the pies out of the oven."

"No problem!" Lucy said, grabbing the serving tray and taking the meals out.

She waved happily when Natsu and Gray came in for lunch, sitting at a table near the window.

She grabbed menus and brought them to the boys, "I can't talk – we're busy today – but please take these menus and let me know when you're ready!"

Natsu grinned, opening the menu up. Lucy was especially pretty today. He liked her uniform. The bulk of the off-shoulder dress was orange and she wore a white apron overtop. He looked away, embarrassed at noticing the curves Lucy had with that dress on. It was very different from her usual jogging pants and sweater.

Gray glanced at the menu, already having decided on the Deal of the Day from the menu board when they walked in.

"So much to choose from!" Natsu exclaimed, "Can I have one of everything?"

"No, you pig," Gray said, restraint in his voice, "Pick ONE thing...like a beef dip or something. ONE lunch."

Natsu nodded. Beef dip sounded good.

"Oh no, don't worry about it!" they heard Lucy say, coming out of the back room, "I'll get your tables for a few minutes. Do what you need to."

She dropped another couple plates off and came back to the boys' table.

"Did you decide?" she asked cheerfully.

"Daily Special, please," Gray said.

"Beef dip please," Natsu grinned, "And can I have a Pepsi?"

"Coming right up!"

Lucy disappeared into the back again, bringing out more plates when she reappeared. Natsu didn't worry about the fact that Gray was ignoring him again, avoiding conversation in favour of reading the Ketchup bottle. He was too busy watching the bustling restaurant. A young man with orange hair was clearing dishes off of tables that were done eating and had paid. Two other servers, a young woman with brown hair and another woman with pink hair also waited on tables. Behind the bar, a pretty girl with white hair and really blue eyes poured drinks and set them on trays. Lucy wasn't kidding…it was a busy place.

Their meals came. Natsu and Gray lost no time digging in, relishing in the absolute deliciousness.

"I like Lucy's restaurant!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Let's be honest…it doesn't take much to impress you," Gray said flatly. Natsu cringed, feeling another insult coming on…and Gray had been so _good_ to him in the past day. Well, better than usual. He supposed it was coming. Gray surprised him though when he said, "but I agree with you this time…this is really good."

 _No insult? No comment on how stupid he was or what an annoying idiot he was?_

Lucy came up to the table, handing Natsu a wrapped napkin. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "It's a sardine…salted fish for Happy."

Natsu nodded, a wide smile spreading across his face. A gift for Happy!

"Yeahhh," Gray said slowly, eyeing the dead fish, "Doesn't take much to impress you _at all."_

"My boss heard about the kitten," Lucy said, "The sardine is from her."

"Well, please thank her for us!" Natsu said, finishing the last of his meal, "And wow - thanks for the lunch too – it was awesome!"

"You can thank her yourself. Here she comes!" Lucy said, gesturing to a pretty blue-haired woman making her way across the crowd. She was tall and elegant. She wore a long blue dress that had a slit from the mid-thigh down. Her hair was curled on the ends, flowing gracefully over her shoulders. Natsu wasn't sure if he'd ever seen anyone so pretty...with the exception of Lucy, that is. No one could be as pretty as Lucy.

"Hi!" Natsu said, offering a hand.

"Welcome!" Juvia said, a wide smile on her face. She took Natsu's hand, shaking it gently, "My name is Juvia. I'm the owner of 8-Island. You must be Natsu."

"I'm Natsu," Natsu agreed, "and this is Gray."

Everyone turned…to an empty seat.

"Gray?" Juvia asked. Her face went white.

"Where did he go?" Lucy asked, a confused expression crossing her face, "He was just here!"

"Maybe he went to the bathroom," Juvia said. A shadow crossed her face as she looked down at the empty plate where Gray had been just a minute ago, "Excuse me."

"Were those tears on Juvia's face?" Lucy asked, turning to Natsu, "I'm going to go see if she's okay. Here's your bill. I'll see you after work maybe."

Natsu watched as Lucy disappeared after Juvia. He glanced at the empty seat, wondering where Gray could have gone. Digging in his pocket, he counted out the right amount of money for their food, being sure to leave a large tip like Gray had shown him at the last restaurant they'd been to after bowling and pool. He got up from the table, glancing one more time back at the room Lucy and Juvia had disappeared into. Something felt off. He didn't know what it was, but he knew he needed to find Gray as soon as possible to find out what just happened.

* * *

Gray was watching her in _shadow_ form as Juvia closed the door to her office, chest heaving as the tears were threatening to come. She had shooed her staff away, citing that she just needed a moment alone, and locked the door.

She sat heavily into her chair, placing her head between her hands.

"It shouldn't mess me up this badly," she scolded herself, "You've been gone for years. It can't be you. There are other men in this world named Gray."

Gray wanted to reach out to her. Tears ran down his cheek as she dug into her purse, pulling out the wallet. She slipped it open and pulled out a small picture.

He remembered when it was taken. He and Juvia were cuddled into a large arm chair at a friend's house. She was kissing his cheek.

"I still miss you," Juvia whispered, staring at the picture.

* * *

Gray didn't come home that night. Natsu played with Happy in the living room while waiting for him, thanking Levy and Lucy for their concern when they came by to check on them. They had come in for a few minutes, but seeing that Natsu wasn't really paying attention, they went home, citing lack of sleep the previous night as a valid reason.

He was worried. As awful as Gray could be, he was still Natsu's only companion in this world…in _any_ world for that matter.

He remembered about Happy's sardine and put it on the coffee table for him. The kitten attacked it with gusto, which would have made Natsu laugh if he didn't feel so glum.

Awhile later, Natsu sat out on the balcony watching the stars again. Lucy came out, watching them with him in silence for a few minutes.

"He'll be okay," she said softly.

Natsu wanted to believe her. But Gray was hard to figure out on the best of days. What had Natsu done to tick him off this time? He had no doubt Gray's disappearance was directly related to _something_ Natsu had done. It was kind of the explanation for everything all the time…or at least usually. He frowned at his own thoughts...did that even make sense?

"It's not your fault, Natsu," Lucy said, trying again to comfort him. Something inside Natsu broke. _Of course it was his fault…it was_ _always_ _his fault!_

"How do you know that?" Natsu snapped, "I'm so stupid sometimes, I tick Gray off and don't even know it! He just disappeared! For all I know, he may not be coming back! What am I going to do then, Lucy?"

She watched him for a moment, shaking her head as she backed toward her glass doors, "Sorry," she whispered. She turned on her heel and disappeared inside.

A moment later, Levy stuck her head out the door, "Unnecessary, Natsu! You made Lucy cry!"

He heard the glass door slam as she retreated back into their apartment.

Natsu kicked himself. He didn't mean to yell at Lucy. He was just worried.

Natsu hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep on the couch when the door closed early the next morning. The sun was just beginning to shine for the day.

"Gray?" Natsu asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah," Gray said, "I'm going to bed."

"Wait! What happened at the restaurant? Where have you been? Whatever I did, I'm sorry!"

Gray paused in the hallway. He didn't turn around to face Natsu as he replied, "There are some things a moron like you will never understand, Natsu. Mind your own business."

Natsu was baffled as he heard the door slam to Gray's bedroom. Happy mewed from his place on Natsu's chest. He cupped his hand to pet him.

"I don't know what's going on, Happy…" Natsu's voice trailed off.

Happy mewed again, nudging Natsu's hand for another petting session. He obliged, at least being able to make a lonely little kitten happy. He was failing miserably with everyone else.


	9. Chapter 9

**I am the WORST for posting too fast. I just get so excited!**

 **My kids will be back from their dad's soon and I won't be updating as often. Or maybe I will. lol**

 **Emotional rollercoaster - startiiiiiing NOW!**

Gray had made up his mind after leaving the restaurant that this mission needed to be completed and over with, so he could return to the Seasons Division and do some much more meaningful work. He was sick of Natsu. Explaining things to him. Trying to be _friendly_ all the time. Granted, they'd already lasted longer together than Gray thought they would. Makarov was so stupid to pick Gray of all people to be here. He despised the pink-haired idiot. No one else had the ability to make his blood boil like Natsu Dragneel.

He sighed heavily. That wasn't entirely true...nor was it fair. This recent problem could not be blamed on Natsu. And he didn't _hate_ him. In fact, he was starting to look at Natsu in a new light. Natsu wasn't as stupid as he originally thought. Gray just needed someone to take the heat for his own confusion.

Gray had spent the night watching Juvia from the shadows. He had followed her from the restaurant to the familiar 2-bedroom apartment she had on the other side of town. It used to be his apartment too.

He had watched her sleep…all night long. She had tossed and turned, completely uncomfortable. He wondered where Lyon was.

" _Presence,"_ He whispered, using another ability he hadn't taught to Natsu just yet.

Juvia settled in her bed a bit, sinking into the pillow. _Presence_ was used to help a human feel the warmth of a loved one, even if they had passed on. He sat on the bed beside her, stroking her hair gently. She moved into his grasp, caressing his hands as they stroked her. He knew she could actually feel him in _transparency_ , but he didn't care. He wanted to hold her…just for a little while.

He crawled into bed with her, spooning her as she moved into his arms, still sleeping. He kissed her neck gently and she let out a soft sigh.

" _Whisper."_

It was an ability to be allowed to speak to a dreaming person. Gray knew he was skating on thin ice. If Makarov ever found out he was using his abilities this way, he'd ground him from human contact missions forever.

"I miss you, Juvia. All these years, and I still love you so, so much. It never really gets easier."

She rolled over so that she was facing him.

He couldn't resist. Gray lifted her chin and kissed her deeply. She moaned into the kiss, reaching for him. He felt the heat tear through his body as she began to kiss him back. It felt so good. His hand ventured to her breasts.

"Gray," she whispered, making him freeze.

He checked to see if she was still asleep. She was. But she was definitely dreaming.

He couldn't. Ooooh, he wanted to...but he couldn't.

Gray got up from the bed, kissing her temple.

"I will always love you, Juvia Lockser. Sleep now. Dream good dreams. Remember our _happy_ memories."

He watched her for the rest of the night. She slept much more peacefully now. Gray was fighting tears by the morning as he walked back to the apartment he and Natsu shared.

* * *

After sleeping for a few hours, Gray knew something had to be said to Natsu. He was moping. He sat on the couch without the TV on, staring at the screen. Depressed. Likely, the moron thought Gray's disappearance had something to do with him.

As much fun as it could be to let that feeling drag on for Natsu, Gray sat down on the arm of the armchair and cleared his throat to get Natsu's attention.

"I know her," he said quietly.

Natsu cocked his head, not understanding.

"Juvia – Lucy's boss," Gray clarified, "I'm not going into details. You just need to know that I can't go to Lucy's work anymore. I think we should split up to look for ways to help the girls. I'll follow Levy to work today and spend the day in the shadows, observing. You follow Lucy. Make sure you're not seen, okay? Look for things that make her happy, make her sad. Try to pinpoint what in her life makes her so skittish of people."

"So you're not mad at me?" Natsu asked slowly.

"No," Gray said quietly, "It has nothing to do with you. This is just something I have to work through on my own."

Natsu nodded, wishing he could pry a little further. He didn't understand Gray's reaction if he knew Juvia. Wouldn't you greet someone you knew?

"Follow Lucy," Gray instructed, "We'll meet back here after the girls are done work and exchange notes."

Natsu saluted him. He knew Lucy would be outside with Plue soon. Maybe he could apologize before Gray realized the girls were mad at him.

* * *

Gray was in the shadows at the Magnolia Mavis Vermillion Library. He watched Levy with limited interest as she checked patrons in and out with their books.

The head librarian was named Freed. He was tall and lanky with green hair. Levy hung on his every word. Gray never understood the pull of a library. Even when he was alive, he'd avoided the place like the plague. But it didn't take long for Gray to conclude that Levy _loved_ her job. She performed her duties with enthusiasm and a pretty smile on her face.

"Gajeel!" Freed called, "I'm not going to tell you again – _get over here!"_

A large man with a black mane of hair and multiple piercings came to the desk, "You called, Majesty?"

"That's not funny, you uneducated freak," Freed lowered his glasses down his nose, "I can call the parole board and tell them you're being disrespectful."

Gajeel shook his head, "Sorry."

"I need you to carry this large pile of books to the back room," Freed waved his hand toward an enormous pile, "There's a table back there you can stack them on. These books are going to be sold at the Book Fair this weekend. _SO STACK THEM NEATLY!_ When you're done, you can change the light bulbs in the store room. I assume you're educated enough to handle that job, yes?"

Gajeel nodded, setting straight to work.

Levy had watched the whole scene quietly, her face contorted with uncertainty. She had been working there for a week now. While she loved her job and was thankful for the opportunity, she didn't like the way Freed treated Gajeel. She bit her tongue, visibly seething as Freed announced he was leaving for lunch and disappeared out the front door.

"It's okay, Shrimp," Gajeel murmured to her as he started his task, "Don't get into trouble with him on account of me."

"But it's not right!" Levy hissed back, "You're a person…and a good one too! I don't care what you did the past…you don't deserve to be treated like an animal!"

He filled the trolley and smiled gently at her, "It's okay, Lev. I have two more weeks and then I'm off probation and free to return to construction."

He left the room without another word as Levy checked through some more people.

A man came into the library. He was tall and his face was hidden slightly by a large, burgundy hat with a huge feather protruding off the back. He had long, blonde hair. He approached Levy almost nervously.

"I need to speak with Freed Justine."

"He's not here right now," Levy said, "Can I help you?"

"No," the man said, looking around, "I supposed I could wait here awhile."

Gray watched Levy gaze at the parchment in his hand. She had mentioned that from time to time, old documents or artifacts were dropped off at the library for deciphering. She had also mentioned how much she wanted to get into that area of work.

" _Nudge,_ " Gray whispered.

"If that's a paper that needs decoding, I might be able to help you," Levy said with a bright smile. She glanced around, unsure of what made her suddenly so brave.

"Are you university-trained?" the man asked, eyeing her through burgundy and gold-trimmed glasses.

"No," Levy said, looking down at her hands, "But I've done it many times at my old workplace. It was a massive museum in Crocus."

The man was about to say no. Gray could see it. His feet were shifting toward the door.

" _Nudge."_

"Alright. Let's see what you can do," the man said, "My name is Rufus Lore."

"I'm Levy," the pretty, blue-haired lady smiled at him.

The library was pretty quiet by now, as it often was in the afternoons. Gajeel came out for another load of books, eyeing the two who were at the table, working diligently on the document. Gray thought he could see jealously in Gajeel's eyes as Levy and Rufus hovered over the parchment. Other than having to excuse herself a few moments at a time to check people through, they worked uninterrupted, heads close together.

"By jove, I think you've done it!" Rufus exclaimed, examining the completely deciphered parchment, "Levy, you're amazing!"

She blushed, smiling at the blonde man. Gray could see the light shine in Levy's eyes.

Rufus handed her some money, which she promptly refused.

"I insist!" Rufus said, "You've done some very good work. Perhaps even better than Freed. I work for the Museum of Natural History. You have a talent. Let me know if you ever need a change of career."

Levy was left shocked as Rufus walked out the door.

She started jumping up and down excitedly, grabbing Gajeel as he came back for another load of books and forcing him into a tight hug. Gajeel had no idea what they were celebrating, but was more than happy to participate in the celebration. He whirled Levy around by her waist, making her break out into laughter.

Gray smiled in satisfaction. _That_ was what would make Levy happy…she wanted to be a historian of sorts. She wanted to be a cryptographer.

* * *

Across town, Natsu's investigation was not going quite as smoothly. The restaurant was busy again today and Lucy was running a lot.

Juvia had secluded herself to the back of the restaurant, letting the servers know she was not going to be out front that day. Her face was puffy and Natsu was confused as to the emotion that would be tied to that expression until one of the servers said it:

"Juvia is so sad today!"

The staff had tried to talk to her, but Juvia would not confide in anyone. Lucy kept herself busy, trying to take up the slack.

It was towards the end of her shift now. Natsu prepared to leave the restaurant. Maybe he could 'accidentally' run into her on her way home so he could apologize for snapping at her the night before.

As he planned his shadow route to the outside, the door bell chimed. A man with white hair entered and sat at the bar.

"She's not seeing people today," the brunette server from yesterday told him.

"Please Cana…tell her I just want to talk."

"She said get lost, Lyon," the orange-haired boy said. He was the one who was clearing tables yesterday, "Just leave, okay?"

The white-haired man who was called Lyon got off the stool and faced the orange-haired boy, "I'm not here to cause trouble, Loke. I just want to talk to her."

Patrons stopped eating, watching the scene. Lucy hurried to deliver some plates, watching out of the corner of her eye.

"If you're not here to cause trouble," Loke said, pushing lightly on Lyon's chest, "Then you won't mind getting the hell out of here and leaving her alone since she doesn't want to see anyone…least of all _you."_

"You don't want to push me like that," Lyon warned.

Loke pushed again, "I won't hesitate to call the cops. Get out."

Natsu flitted across the shadows, closer to the scene, calling out _transparency_ as he neared the confrontation. Now invisible instead of in the shadows, he prepared to get between them.

"JUVIA!" Lyon yelled, "It's Lyon! Please come out and talk to me!"

Loke pushed him back, "I said GET OUT!"

Lyon continued to yell, "JUVIA! JUVIA! PLEASE! I JUST WANT TO TALK!"

Loke pulled back a fist, "You were warned!"

As Loke's fist flew toward Lyon's face, Natsu moved between them. He caught the fist in mid-air, lowering it to Loke's side.

"What the –" Loke started.

It happened in slow motion, as far as Natsu was concerned. He tried to divert Lyon's fist, but Natsu was too late. Lyon's own fist came crashing down. Natsu managed to hold his arm up, deflecting the blow from Loke, but when Lyon's fist flew back, he hit Lucy directly in the eye. She flew back, landing on her rear two feet away.

She screamed, hands instantly flying to her face. The plates she had on a tray went flying, making a huge mess. Patrons were quickly leaving the restaurant, some not leaving money on the table to cover their meals.

"Lucy!" Loke cried out, instantly on his knees beside her.

"GET OUT!" Juvia yelled, having come out of the kitchen to see what the commotion was. The anger in her eyes emitted red as she stared down Lyon.

Lyon was stunned, clearly unable to comprehend what just happened, "Juvia – I don't…what the hell just happened?"

Natsu cringed. He didn't mean to! He was trying to _stop_ the fight…not get Lucy hit!

"GET OUT!" Juvia was screaming. She rushed over, physically pushing the dumbfounded Lyon out of the restaurant.

Moments later, she was beside Lucy as well with an ice pack.

"Are you okay?" Juvia asked, pulling the ice pack away to examine Lucy's eye.

It was purple and swollen shut. They all cringed.

"I'm so sorry," Loke said in a whisper.

"No," Juvia said, helping Lucy to her feet, "This is my fault. Take the rest of the night off, Lucy. Do you have someone who can help you get home?"

Natsu ran for the bathroom long enough to become visible again, then headed directly for Lucy.

"I'll do it! Luce, are you okay?"

Lucy shot him a look of confusion, "Where did you come from?"

"I was…passing by," he said slowly, "I happened to see what was going on and came in."

"Thank you, Natsu," Juvia said, placing a hand on his forearm, "Please watch her tonight. Take her to Emerg if the swelling doesn't start to go down, okay?"

Natsu nodded, serious pangs of guilt hitting him as he helped Lucy outside. Immediately, she reached for her hoodie, covering her head.

"Are you okay?" he asked, walking beside her. He felt helpless. He wanted to take the pain from her. Hell, he wished it had been him who'd been hit.

She sniffed back a tear, holding the ice pack with a shaky hand.

"Luce?"

She took a shaky breath, trying to keep from bursting into tears. Natsu guided her to a nearby bench and they both sat down. She couldn't keep the sobs away now. Her whole body shook. Tears started to fall down her cheeks.

He lifted a finger, gently brushing them from her eye.

"Luce…I'm so sorry."

He placed his hand over her hand and pulled her hoodie down, gently pulling the ice pack off of her face. The bruise had spread halfway down her cheek. It was ugly and bright purple. He ran his hand across it, cupping the side of her face.

"Oh Luce."

She grabbed his hand, covering it with hers, keeping it there for a moment before bursting out crying again and slamming her body into his shoulder.

Natsu really didn't know what to do. She sobbed against his chest for several moments. Natsu wanted to touch her…to comfort her… _anything_ to make her feel better. Finally, slowly and shakily, he lowered his arms around her and held her close. He half-expected Lucy to push him back and call him a pervert, but she didn't. Instead, she settled as close to his body as she could, comforted and protected in his arms.

The contact of their bodies was indescribable. Natsu felt a surge of heat wash over his body as he held her. He knew at that moment, he would do anything for her. He just wanted to protect her from the world and keep her right where she was now.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair, "I'm so sorry, Luce."

"Why are _you_ sorry?" she gave an awkward laugh, "It's not like _you_ hit me."

Natsu stiffened. No. Not directly. But he was still responsible for it.

 _Angel of Oops strikes again._

"Thank you for coming for me," she sniffed, trying to get a hold of herself.

"I'll always come for you, Luce," he whispered into her hair.

They stayed still for several minutes, neither of them moving.

"I miss being hugged," she murmured, burying her face in his chest, "When I was a kid, my father didn't have a lot to do with me after my mother died. But before she died, he used to give me the most amazing hugs. Just like this one."

She sniffed again, a fresh flood of tears making their way down her face.

She whispered, "All I wanted from him was for him to hug me like this. I just wanted to know that I belonged somewhere. That I'd be okay."

Natsu's head was swimming. There was a myriad of emotions tearing through his body. Guilt at being the one who caused her to get hit. Pain at hearing how insanely lonely she was...how a simple hug sparked such painful memories. Anger at her father for not hugging his daughter. He didn't know what the last emotion was. It tugged at him. The closeness of their bodies sent twinges of _something_ through him. It inspired a whole new set of emotions, none of which he could identify.

She pulled away finally. Natsu immediately felt the loss of not having her in his arms.

"So thank you, Natsu," she said, reaching for the ice pack again, "It's been a long time since I've thought anyone other than Levy might care."

"I _do_ care, Luce," he smoothed her hair away from the ice pack.

She nodded, the last of her tears stopping, "I know."

"Does it hurt?" he asked stupidly. He had no idea how to react right now.

"A lot," she admitted with a laugh.

"Luce…I'm sorry I yelled at you last night."

She smiled, giving his hand a squeeze before standing up and pulling her hoodie over her ears, "It's already forgotten. You were just worried."

He nodded, falling into step beside her as they headed for home.


	10. Chapter 10

"What the hell?! Lucy – what happened?" Levy exclaimed as Natsu delivered Lucy to the door. She grabbed Lucy's arm, pulling her into the apartment, leaving Natsu gaping at the door as she slammed it in his face.

Levy was still mad about last night, he realized.

Natsu went into his own apartment, deep in thought. For a mostly uneventful day at work, poor Lucy sure had a rough one towards the end. Guilt plagued him as he sat on the couch, head between his hands. The emotions inside of him swirled around. Natsu didn't know what to do to make them quiet again. He felt like he was going crazy.

Natsu didn't hear Gray come in the door, chattering excitedly about his discovery that day about Levy. He didn't hear him crack open a beer and he didn't notice him sit down on the couch beside him.

"YO! FLAME BRAIN!" Gray yelled, "WAKE THE HELL UP!"

Natsu looked up, the guilt, pain, and other emotional turmoil written into his eyes. Gray watched him for a minute, putting his beer down on the coffee table as Happy mewed to be picked up.

"What happened?" Gray asked, almost gently.

Natsu picked Happy up, holding the sweet little thing close to him. He supposed it was odd, finding comfort from a kitten who was barely old enough to eat on its own, but Happy did exactly that. Natsu felt a warmth spread through him as he forced himself to calm down.

"Natsu?" Gray repeated, a gentle hand making its way to Natsu's shoulder, "What happened?"

Natsu was sure Gray was going to have a hay-day with this one. Bracing himself for the onslaught of laughter and horrible name-calling, or possibly extreme anger, he slowly repeated the day's events to him, leaving out the moments on the bench where he was hugged by Lucy, but including the conversation about Lucy's father.

"It's my fault," he finished quietly, "Because of me, Lucy got hurt."

Gray was quiet, contemplating everything he'd just heard.

"It sounds to me like you did a good job for the most part," Gray said finally, "It wasn't your fault, Natsu. You were trying to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Your mistake was getting in the middle – which we're not allowed to do as Angels – instead of standing in front of Lucy to protect her. She got caught in the cross-fire, Natsu. But it _was_ an accident. Plus, you found out some really important information about her past that could help us find a way to ultimately change Lucy's life for the better: She craves to belong."

Natsu glanced at him, wondering when the reprimanding would start. Or name calling. Or laughter. But Gray's eyes were sincere as he spoke.

Gray took the kitten from Natsu, bringing him to the kitchen with him as he prepared soft food. Once the plate was safely on the coffee table, Gray placed the kitten next to it, giving Happy a little rub before allowing him to eat.

Gray sighed deeply, his own emotions toying with him. He could see the anxiety Natsu still felt. Maybe if he knew the whole story, it would ease his guilt.

"I died 5 years ago," he said, catching Natsu's attention, "I lived here in this town...with Juvia."

Natsu's eyes grew wide. Gray wouldn't look at him. If he did, he couldn't tell the rest of his story. Gray was not an emotional person/Angel. He preferred to keep past life to himself.

"Juvia was my girlfriend of 2 years," Gray continued, "We'd been friends since childhood. Well, kind of. She followed me around everywhere I went. I pretty much ignored her. I never really even noticed her in those younger years. But when we were 16, Juvia and I started to date. I had just left home," he scoffed, "Okay, more like I ran away from home. Juvia was following me and realized I didn't have a place to go. She offered to let me stay with her. So I did. After that, we were inseparable."

Gray got up and stepped out onto the balcony, pulling a cigarette from his pocket. He glanced back at Natsu, shaking a finger at him, "Don't you dare tell Mira I'm doing this! This is not an easy story to tell. I need a little…help."

Natsu nodded, wanting to hear the rest of the story. He'd seen people around town smoking cigarettes, but he had no idea Gray smoked them. He also wasn't sure why cigarettes would _help_ Gray tell the story. But he shut up. He wanted to hear this.

Gray lit his cigarette and inhaled deeply. He was quiet for a few moments, gathering his thoughts.

"Juvia and I became inseparable," he continued, "And I admit, I fell head over heels in love with her. She was my everything. Juvia used to talk about getting her own restaurant one day. I was going to be her manager and run the front; she was going to be the chef in the kitchen. She's an amazing cook, as you've noticed," he chuckled to himself, "She did it. She made her dream come true and has her own place."

Natsu watched as Gray paused to take another puff of his smoke.

"On my 18th birthday, my brother, Lyon, spotted us as we were sitting at a diner. Lyon and I didn't really get along, but since I'd left home, he was desperate to know how I was doing and if I was okay. I made him promise not to tell our parents where we were. Lyon hung out with us a lot after that. We got really…close. For the first time in my life, I felt like someone in my family actually cared about me. He came over to our apartment a lot. He had dinner with us almost every night. I was working as an apprentice welder at the time. My boss said I had enormous talent for sculpting. One day, he told me he was going to put me into college to get my welding certificate. It was the best news of my life. I couldn't wait to tell Juvia."

Natsu watched Gray's face. _Lyon is Gray's brother..._

His eyes closed in memory, his face contorting in pain.

"At first, I didn't know what was going on. I thought she was putting laundry away or something since she wasn't at the door to greet me. I looked for her. I even called her name. But when I came to the bedroom, she was in bed with Lyon."

He finished his cigarette, immediately reaching for another. Natsu stayed absolutely still. He didn't understand some of the story…like why it would be so bad to be sleeping in the same bed as someone? What's an apprentice welder? But the pain on Gray's face told him to stay quiet. This was the first time Gray had ever said _anything_ about his personal life to Natsu. It was a step toward becoming friends…and Natsu was not about to mess it up.

"I flipped out," Gray continued, "I tore Lyon out of bed and pretty much threw him out the door. But Lyon fought back. He said I was selfish. He said I wasn't all that nice to Juvia, especially in the beginning, and she needed a real man to be with. We tousled on the street for probably a good 15 minutes before he pushed me a little too hard. I landed in the street. And that's when the delivery truck struck me."

Natsu gasped despite himself.

"So you see, Natsu, it's not all your fault. Not this time. Lyon was at the restaurant to talk to Juvia because of what happened 5 years ago. I don't know what's happened between them since. Personally, I don't actually care. The point is you tried to stop something bad from happening. I can't fault you for that because I probably would have let Loke pound the hell outta Lyon," he smirked, "Honestly, I'd probably have _helped_ him."

Natsu had no clue what to say for the umpteenth time that day. Emotion was a powerful thing. Even the ice-cold Gray Fullbuster felt things.

"After that, I've learned to keep people at a distance so that they can't get close to me. It's not easy to get through my barriers...and sometimes I can be mean as a result. The pain of what happened to me has made me who I am today. I lost the person I was before that," He pointed at Natsu, "You. Don't lose who you are, Natsu...you're kind-hearted. You feel the need to protect everyone and everything. You see the world in a light that very few people have the ability to see it in. That's why Lucy can open up to you. And _that_ is what's going to save her."

The two men exchanged glances, watching each for a long moment. Natsu was regarding Gray in a new light...one that saw the person who had gone through so much. Gray had been so hurt. No wonder he built his icy exterior.

Gray snapped out of his reverie, shaking a finger in Natsu's face, "That story does not get repeated to _anyone_ , got it? In fact, forget that I even told you! _WE_ do not discuss it again. Do I make myself clear?"

Natsu nodded, still completely unable to respond.

"Good," Gray crushed his cigarette and plopped down on the couch beside Natsu, "Wanna play some Smash?"

In answer, Natsu disappeared to the kitchen for a moment, grabbing them both a beer, then tossed Gray a controller. His questions would wait for another day. Right now, something was telling him that what Gray needed was to let go. And even if Gray didn't say it, he needed Natsu to help him forget for awhile. And nothing relaxed him like a good Smash Bros pounding.

* * *

Later that night, Natsu had fallen asleep on the couch. Gray had covered him with a blanket and found himself back at Juvia's to watch her sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

"So you're okay?" Natsu asked Lucy again for the umpteenth time.

She grinned, then groaned because it was painful to smile, "I'm fine!

The massive bruise had grown over half her face. Her eye was slightly visible today, but it was still swollen shut. Yesterday, though, he couldn't even see the eye at all. So he supposed this was good news, right?

"Juvia gave me the day off to let the swelling go down," she told him, "And I don't wanna spend it here thinking about all that emotional crap we talked about yesterday."

Natsu rolled his eyes…she had _no idea_ how much emotional talk he'd had lately. He was more than pleased to let it go.

Levy and Gray exchanged glances. Lucy and Levy had come over first thing in the morning so that Natsu and Gray could see that she was okay. They were sitting at the kitchen table having coffee.

But Gray and Levy might as well not even be there. It was Natsu and Lucy doing all the conversing. They'd both noticed the way he fawned over her, gently dabbing at the eye with an ice cube, regardless of the fact that it really wouldn't help her anymore.

"Levy is working today, so she suggested maybe I could spend the day with you," Lucy was saying, the non-purple part of her face blushing.

He paused, looking at her, "You want to spend the day with me?"

In his whole life, he couldn't think of anyone who actually _wanted_ to spend the day with him. Even if it was only because Levy was working.

"You should go, Natsu," Gray said, "I can handle things here. You know…with our Human Resources jobs."

"Okay," Natsu nodded, "Let me grab some different clothes."

He disappeared into his room, reappearing a moment later.

Gray gave him a bit of money, "Go have a good day," he said, winking at Natsu.

Natsu nodded, heading out the door with Lucy.

"He's been good for her," Levy said quietly, finishing her coffee.

"She's been good for him," Gray replied.

"Lucy…doesn't associate with other people much," Levy wiped the table down, getting up. It was time to go to work, "She's kind of had a tough life. It's nice to see her break out of her shell a little bit."

"And what about you?" Gray asked.

"I don't need to socialize," she said, "Lucy is all the company I need."

Gray stared, not letting up his forceful gaze, "Everyone needs company sometimes."

She turned, eyeing Gray as she added, "It's a like a miracle from Heaven that you boys just _happened_ to move next door, isn't it?"

Gray wasn't sure when the atmosphere turned into a stand off. They locked eyes, trying to read each other.

"Sometime miracles come along right at the right time," Gray replied.

She laughed, pointed her finger at him, "We could do this all day, you know."

He nodded, a smirk skirting his face, "We could."

"What Division are you?" Levy asked finally, "And don't tell me Human Resources. You and I both know it's not true."

He snickered, finally confirming his suspicions about Levy, "Cupid. You?"

"Guardian," she said.

"But we were told we needed to help you too," Gray said, "What's up with that? An Angel needing an Angel?"

"I've been with Lucy pretty much since childhood," Levy sighed, "Guardian Angels are different than Cupid Angels. We're here long-term. We live as humans and intervene when necessary. When our term is up and we're not needed anymore for that particular person, we're given the option to remain on Earth with a different assignment. Maybe Heaven doesn't think I've done a good job with Lucy," she paused, "Maybe they're right."

"I think we need to have a long, honest talk," Gray leaned back in his chair, "How much time do you have before work?"

She looked at her watch, "Not enough to tell you the story," Levy said, "For now, I need to keep up appearances. I think this should stay between us for now. Let's get out tonight. We'll make an excuse and then we'll talk."

Gray nodded, escorting her to the door.

"Gray," she said, stopping in the doorway. She didn't turn around to face him, "That night Lucy and Natsu were on the balcony…you _nudged_ her, didn't you? To give them a chance to be friends?"

Gray was shell-shocked as he realized that Levy had been watching Natsu and Gray as much as they had been watching her. Maybe that's why she never seemed to be around.

"If you didn't do it, I would have," Levy said, turning to meet his gaze.

She smiled, then disappeared down the hall toward the elevator.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Lucy sighed heavily, "I'm not very good company, am I?"

They were trudging along the beach in their bare feet. The sand felt good between Natsu's toes and he secretly thanked the Angel that had taken over the Gray. He had warmed the water well.

"We don't have to talk to enjoy each other's company, Lucy," Natsu said, "Sometimes it's okay to just _be._ Believe it or not, I'm completed satisfied no matter what we do. I'm just happy to be doing it with you. My friend."

She paused, glancing at him with a confused expression on her face.

"There you go again, being all sweet!" she teased the corners of her mouth lifting, "You always manage to keep me off guard. I don't know what it is about you, Natsu. You're very different than anyone I've met."

She gave him a full-fledged smile and Natsu melted. He loved her smile. Even with the large, painful bruise filling up half of her face, it lit up her face and made her brown eyes glow. She was already pretty. When she smiled, she was _gorgeous_. He supposed that was why Heaven wanted to help her get happy – the whole world was more beautiful when she smiled. Sadly, Natsu hadn't seen her smile that much. He wished she would smile more often.

A light bulb went off in his head. _I need to make her smile._

He grabbed her hand, pulling her into a brisk walk.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Making the world a better place!" he replied, breaking into a run.

He brought her to a park and spread his arms wide, grinning ear-to-ear.

She glanced around, slightly confused, "A playground?"

"C'mon!"

Grabbing her wrist, he ran toward the slide, laughing out loud. She followed him with a little less enthusiasm, but followed him nonetheless. He slid down the slide, screaming gleefully as he did so.

She followed him down silently.

"C'mon Lucy," he grinned, "Do it again – but this time, laugh as you go down. Let yourself enjoy it."

She shook her head, taking a step back.

He rolled his eyes dramatically, grabbing her hand and sending her up the ladder first. She went to go down the slide, but he held her back.

"Like this," he said, sitting down first, then motioning for her to sit between his legs. She stared at him momentarily. She was still skeptical, but obliged him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, "Okay, are you ready?"

She nodded and they both went down. Natsu started laughing, bringing his arms above his head. Lucy didn't raise her arm or laugh or even squeal, but there _was_ a smile on her face as they reached the bottom.

"See?" he said softly into her ear, "It's not so hard."

She quickly got off his lap, chills running down her back, and watched him as he too got off the slide.

"Again!" he grabbed her hand.

After a few times, his eyes diverted to other areas around the playground.

"C'mon!" he grabbed her hand again, running for the swings.

Natsu already knew that he didn't like the swings, but he was willing to bet Lucy would. He sat her down and pulled the chains back, pushing.

She stretched her legs out, making the swing go higher. He pushed her lower back and when he felt she was high enough, he stepped off to the front to watch her. She swung for a good 10 minutes, her smile growing wider and wider.

"Ugh – I'm getting dizzy! Time to get off!"

He grinned, spreading his arms wide.

"Jump to me!" he called.

She glanced at how far away he was from the swing, "Are you nuts? I'll break my leg!"

"Trust me! I'll catch you!"

"You'll drop me!"

He shook his head, his innocent eyes reflecting his excitement as he kept his arms spread out and waited.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself, then jumped, landing in his arms and knocking him onto his back. They were both explosively laughing as she pulled her body off of his and settled into the grass beside him.

"Okay," she admitted, "that was fun."

Natsu grinned, still laying on his back, "I can think of more fun things to do."

"Oh yeah?" she quipped, the smile still not off of her face.

"Yup – come with me!"

He offered his hand. She looked at it for a moment, then up to his face. His eyes were alight with their last adventure still. His face was beaming. She reached out and took his hand slowly. He squeezed it gently as they began to walk.

"Where are we going?"

He grinned at her, "To the aquarium! I saw it the other day. Gray wouldn't take me. I think he's still sore about the fishing incident."

She laughed. To him, it was the most musical sound in the world.

* * *

It was dark out when they got back to the apartment building, still laughing about the aquarium. Lucy was tired from trying to keep up to Natsu, but she'd had the most amazing day of her life. Natsu had pulled her from exhibit to exhibit at the aquarium…and then they backtracked and did it again. She couldn't get over his child-like exuberance as he tried to mimic the dolphin calls. He had an entire group of children laughing when he mimicked a parrot fish, opening and closing his mouth with his hands acting like gills. They toured with the group of children for a few minutes. He made them laugh constantly. Natsu was bundle of energy – and she loved every moment of it.

She disappeared into her own apartment for a moment to take Plue out, then met back up with him at his apartment.

"Levy's not home yet," she said, "I'm surprised. It's rare that she's out this late."

"Gray's not here either," Natsu picked Happy up from his spot on the couch, "But that's not that surprising. He's not usually home in the evenings."

He patted the spot on the couch beside him. Hesitantly, she joined him, petting the tiny kitty sitting on his chest.

"I had a lot of fun today," she told him.

"Me too."

* * *

When Gray came into the apartment later that night, he found them in the living room, both passed out on the couch. Natsu's arm was around Lucy, his feet kicked up onto the coffee table. She cuddled into his side, one hand on his chest around Happy. Their foreheads were pressed together.

"They look like they've had a good day," Levy commented, appearing beside Gray.

He didn't flinch, "Just because I know who you are now doesn't mean you can just pop up beside me whenever you feel like it," he scolded.

"They won't miss us if we go right now," she said.

He nodded, taking a light blanket and spreading it over their slumbering friends, then followed her out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

Levy was watching Gray laugh with a look of unamused doubt on her face. They were at a small diner, sitting at the very back corner for privacy's sake.

"What?" Gray asked, his laughter subsiding.

"I think it's cruel," she said, "Natsu is...innocent, but he's not a screw up. A nickname like 'Angel of Oops' is bound to damage his self-esteem."

"But he _is_ a screw up! You should _see_ some of the backlash from his screw ups!"

"Coming from someone who hasn't been there to participate in the bullying, that's not what I see," Levy took a sip of her shake, "To me, Natsu looks like an innocent little boy who just wants to be accepted. He tries _so hard_. Look at all the effort he's put into Lucy."

Gray cringed, not missing her innuendo of 'bullying', "I suppose so."

"I was thinking I might remember him...from the orphanage."

"He doesn't recognize you, though," Gray said.

Levy shook her head, "He wouldn't. I wasn't there for very long."

 _Ok...let's get off THIS subject fast._

Gray nodded, "Tell me about your mission."

"So," Levy said, taking a sip of her milkshake, "Do you want the long version or the short?"

"Short," Gray said immediately.

"I'm Lucy's Guardian Angel. We've been together since she was 8. When she was 16, we ran away from her father's home."

"And why do you move around so much?" Gray asked.

She raised an eyebrow, "Perceptive, aren't you?"

"Elementary, my dear Levy. I've been watching you for days now," he shoved a fry in his mouth.

"And what do you think you know about Lucy?" Levy challenged.

"She freaked out a lot more about getting hit than most people would, so that leads me to believe she's been hit at some point in her past. She doesn't let her defenses down for anyone…except that pink-headed buffoon of a roommate of mine…and you, of course. She wears hoodies so her face is harder to see when she's out in public. And she has a weak spot for animals."

"Not bad," Levy said, nodding her head in approval, "How about me?"

"You're ferociously protective of Lucy and would do anything for her. You love your job at the library, but your real desire is to be a cryptographer. You are thankful for the opportunity to work for Freed, but you think he's an absolute ass to that punk Gajeel. You take a taxi to and from work – same reason as Lucy – to avoid being seen in public."

She opened her mouth to speak.

"WHICH leads me to believe that you girls have a secret. That part I haven't figured out yet, so if you want to shed some light on it, I'd really be appreciative of that."

She started to laugh, "Why do I get the impression that's the most you've said since you've been here? Even that night we played video games, you barely said anything at all!"

He thought about the other night – the story he told to Natsu, "Second longest," he admitted.

Contrary to what Natsu believed, Gray spent a lot of time in the shadows watching Levy and Lucy.

"I have to admit, you're good," Levy said, "Most of that was pretty damn accurate."

"Which parts weren't?" Gray asked.

"Gajeel's not a punk," Levy stated, a twinkle in her eyes, "You judged a book by its cover."

"He was dressed like a punk."

"He's not a punk."

"He _talked_ like a punk AND he's on probation."

"He got framed for something his cousins dragged him into. _They're_ the punks!"

"But it takes a punk to get involved with punks!"

"THEY'RE COUSINS!"

They stared at each other, slow smiles of respect for the other Angel crossing their faces.

"You're interesting," Levy said.

"And you like to have the last word," Gray motioned to the waitress, asking for more fries, "You never answered my question either."

"What question?"

"What are you running from?"

Levy sighed deeply, her face turning serious, "Do we really need to talk about that?"

"Are you likely to have to run again?" Gray pointed out.

"Probably," she admitted, "We're running from Lucy's ex-fiance."

"An ex-fiance?"

"We were young when we left home. Lucy had been home-schooled and had very little interaction with other people. All her life, she'd been trained so that eventually she could marry a business associate of her father's that would help expand the Heartfilia empire. One day, Jude presented Dan Straight to Lucy. He was large and boisterous. Lucy didn't like him at all, but Jude forced them to spend time together. Dan instantly fell in love with Lucy, but Lucy refused to consider the marriage and Jude was furious with her defiance. He back-handed her one day. Dan didn't like that Jude had hit her and somehow we ended up at his house for shelter. Lucy refused to go back home."

Gray nodded, waiting for her to go on.

"We stayed there for months. Dan had his eyes set on Lucy from the moment we walked in the door. At first, Lucy resisted Dan. But eventually, she tried the dating thing with him and the next thing I knew, they were engaged. That's when he started getting possessive. He refused to let her leave the house and I was eventually told my services as Lucy's maid were no longer required. I watched her the entire time, but she didn't know that. Lucy feigned happiness for about 8 months before she finally caught up to me in the town. I'd been trying to set up opportunity for escape multiple times, but she was only allowed to leave the house with Dan and his house was set up with security tighter than the royal palace…so it was rare to get an opportunity. However, I knew he was taking her to a restaurant that particular day for her birthday, so I made sure I was there too. I got her attention and she waited for my signal. When she saw me head for the restroom, she followed. We went out the bathroom window and escaped with the shirts on our back. He's found us 10 times over the past 4 years. At first, he would just beg and plead. Then we would grab our stuff and move on. But he's been getting more aggressive. He started penning us in, making it harder to escape. The last time, he had Lucy by the hair when I walked in the apartment. His best friend Samuel wasn't going to let me in, but I had pepper spray. I got past Samuel, grabbed Lucy, sprayed Dan, and we got the hell out of there. We barely escaped."

Gray let out a deep sigh, "Psycho ex-boyfriend syndrome much? Okay…well, now that I know, maybe there's something we can do to help you."

"But Lucy can't know I told you!" Levy said firmly, "She doesn't know who I am. She can't know who you are either. It might look suspicious if you suddenly start hanging around all the time."

Gray nodded again, finishing his fries in silence.

Levy felt a pang of guilt run through her. It felt good to tell someone about Lucy's predicament…but she hadn't divulged the _whole_ truth.

"Gray?" she said slowly.

He watched her. He'd had an inkling that wasn't the whole story.

"There's something else Dan wants."

He leaned forward, giving her his full attention.

"Lucy has a set of keys that her mother gave her before she died. They go to a storage unit in Crocus that houses all of Layla's possessions."

Gray nodded, "He wants the keys?"

Levy breathed out, having fully told him everything now, "We don't know why. Lucy said he started asking for them just before we ran away from his house, when he started showing the more violent tendencies. We don't even know how he knows about them. Lucy always kept them close to her, but hidden in a belt she wears around her waist."

Gray contemplated the information for a moment.

"Okay," he took a deep breath, "Here's what I think: we need to get those keys and you and I need to make a side mission to Crocus. Natsu can look after Lucy for a day, I'm sure. Second, I'm going to see if I can track Dan and find out where he is. And I will _continue_ to track him. We're going to know where he is and what he's doing at all times. No more surprise attacks. Especially if he's getting more violent. You and Lucy should continue to live as normally as possible. Leave the tracking to me. Once we know what's in the storage locker, maybe we can figure out how to make him leave her alone."

She stared at him, impressed with his on-the-spot plan.

The sides of his mouth turned up at her expression, "I'm not a good Cupid Angel. I never wanted this mission…but I know how to strategize other kinds of missions. You're not alone anymore, Lev. We'll figure this out together."

She nodded, tears brimming the edges of her eyes, "I admit…I've been a bit overwhelmed. Lucy has always refused to go see what's in the storage locker. She refuses to go to the cops…I've been facing this alone for a long time. And I was honestly at the point of not knowing what to do anymore."

"You're not alone. Not anymore," he reassured her, "We should get back. The pink-haired wonder will sleep, but I don't want Lucy to wake up and freak out when she realizes she just spent the night with him…not that Flame-Brain would know how to do anything funky with her anyway."

Levy followed Gray out the door. She knew he'd been _nudging_ her in order to get the whole truth. Part of her was relieved. The other part was fearful. Gray didn't know how forceful Dan could be.


	13. Chapter 13

Lucy was in a pretty good mood as she put her hoodie up around her ears and started walking to work the next morning. After having such a good day with Natsu yesterday, she couldn't help it. The smile on her face wouldn't fade.

She'd woken up in his arms. At first, she was alarmed and she'd jumped up, scared, not remembering where she was or why she was in the arms of a man she barely knew. But then she'd seen his face. It was peaceful. He let out tiny snores. She noticed how he still held his kitten to his stomach…so lovingly. Natsu was not a small guy. He was 5'11", but he was well built. From this angle, he looked so young and innocent. He was really cute when he was sleeping. Or any other time, really. On impulse, she leaned forward and placed a small kiss on his forehead, then slipped out the door without waking him.

* * *

"Welcome back!" Juvia grinned as Lucy came through the door, "Your eye looks better!"

Lucy grimaced. She was beginning to wonder if the swelling would _ever_ go down.

"Should be a slower day today," Juvia said, passing Lucy her uniform, "There's a convention in town that's going to take half our regular business-class crowd."

"Sounds good to me!" Lucy called, heading to the back room to change.

Juvia had a small change room for the girls in her private office. She could appreciate that not everyone wanted to wear their uniforms to work and it was a safe place, away from the males of the establishment. Each lady had a locker inside the tiny dressing room.

"I'm in here, Lucy!" Juvia called out, "Not trying to scare you - I'm just getting a speadsheet for today."

"No problem," Lucy called back.

Lucy pulled off her hoodie, tossing it to the bench, then reached for her jogging pants.

Lucy lost her footing as she tripped over her own shoe, tumbling backwards into Juvia's locker. Juvia's purse and all its contents spilled out onto the floor.

"Damnit!"

"Are you okay, Lucy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…but I dumped your purse tripping over my stupid shoe. Sorry Juvia."

"Can I pull back the curtain?"

"Yup!"

Juvia pulled back the curtain, getting onto the floor with Lucy to help clean up the purse.

"Sorry Juvia. I totally lost my footing there. One minute I was fine, then the next-"

Lucy paused, picking up a wallet-sized picture that had fluttered down from Juvia's wallet.

"Don't worry about it," Juvia said. It was then that she noticed the look on Lucy's face, "Lucy?"

Lucy's face was twisted in confusion as she stared at the picture.

"Juvia…" Lucy said slowly, "Why do you have a picture of Gray?"

Juvia went white, "That can't be _your_ friend Gray," she said.

"But it is!" Lucy insisted.

"Impossible!" Juvia half-shouted.

"I'm telling you, this is Gray!"

"The one who wasn't there when I went to meet your friends at lunch that day?" Juvia asked.

"Yes!"

Juvia's eyes welled with tears, "That's not possible, Lucy."

Lucy watched as Juvia took the picture from her, staring at it as tears streaked down her face.

"Juvia?"

Juvia sat on the bench.

"It can't be the same Gray, Lucy," Juvia was getting a hold of herself now, "Because my Gray is dead."

Lucy's mouth fell open, "I'm so sorry Juvia."

"You didn't know. But it's impossible for them to be the same Gray. It's just a coincidence."

"Maybe my Gray is just someone who _looks_ like your Gray," Lucy said.

"Yes," Juvia agreed, heading for the door, "That's probably it. We need to go, Lucy. It's time to open the doors."

* * *

The rest of Lucy's shift went by without much problem. She changed again and bid goodbye to Juvia on the way out the door, sliding her hoodie on as she exited.

It was an immaculate day. The sun was shining and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. She stuck to her usual route as she headed for home.

"Psssst!"

Lucy heard the noise, but didn't turn around. She kept walking.

"PSSSSSST!"

This time it was a little louder…and she knew the voice well. She peered into the bushes. Natsu was stooped over, a black and white scarf covering his head so only his eyes peered out.

"Natsu…what are you doing?"

"I'm being a ninja. _QUICK!"_

He grabbed her hand, yanking her into the bushes.

"Why are we being ninjas?" she whispered, crawling along the bushes with him on her hands and knees. She paused as she realized what she was doing, "And why am I whispering? Natsu, what the hell are we doing?"

Gray had told him to go get Lucy from work…and not to let anyone see them. Natsu had just finished watching a ninja show on TV. He was enamoured with the concept of hidden ninja warriors and so….

But Natsu wasn't going to tell Lucy that.

"It's fun, Luce…just go with it!"

"I am _not_ going to crawl all the way back to the apartment on my hands and knees!" she exclaimed. She started to stand up when Natsu pulled her down.

"Look!" he pointed, "That's the guy that hit you."

Lyon was walking down the street, his eyes to the ground.

He grabbed a newspaper from a nearby stand and glanced around the area. Natsu and Lucy both ducked as his gaze swept past the bushes.

"He's going to that café!" Natsu surveyed the bushes, planning his route, "Let's get closer."

"Let's not," Lucy said flatly, "He's just a guy out for a walk. He has the right to do that. And he didn't _mean_ to hit me. It was an accident."

"There's your boss," Natsu said, diverting her attention.

Sure enough, Juvia was strolling down the street.

"Is he going to ambush her?" Lucy cried out in alarm.

But Lyon wasn't trying to ambush Juvia. They met in the street and began to talk, settling down at a small 2-person table at the café.

"That's weird. The other day, she didn't want to talk to him at all," Natsu commented, watching them.

They seemed very familiar with each other. Sometimes, he'd reached over and squeeze her hand. She didn't appear to be upset or angry at all.

"Natsu…" Lucy wondered if she should tell him about the picture.

He glanced at her, his scarf making it hard for her to see his facial features, "What were you going to say, Luce?"

 _Nudge._

She paused, watching Lyon smile at her tenderly.

"I think Gray knows them," Lucy said finally, "Or maybe a relative of Gray's. Juvia has a picture in her wallet and I swear to you…those men are identical."

"Really," Natsu said thoughtfully. He didn't ask for more details. He'd been thinking for awhile now that something was going on with Gray, and now that he knew the story behind it, he wanted to help Gray and Juvia find some peace too. It had been egging at him since Gray's story was told to him.

Natsu wanted to know about Lyon. Lyon was Gray's brother – he should have been long out of Juvia's picture. Why were they hanging out now?

"We…we should go," Lucy grabbed his arms, "People are starting to look at us. It's not that common to see ninja in random bushes in downtown Magnolia."

He nodded, still watching Lyon and Juvia as they both laughed about something.

"Okay. Stay to the bushes and follow me!"

She rolled her eyes, but obliged him anyways. Even she had to admit being a ninja was fun.

* * *

That night, Gray sat by Juvia's bedside again as she tossed and turned. He had been watching from the shadows when she was with Lyon earlier in the day too.

He didn't climb into bed with her again, but he knew she was dreaming about him. She called his name in a desperate voice, then settled for awhile.

When she started squirming the next time, he stood, deciding she needed his comfort. He was about to _whisper_ to her when she cried out and called for someone else to comfort her.

" _Lyon!"_

Gray's mouth dropped open.

"Please tell me it isn't true, Juves…have you forgotten about me already?" he smoothed her hair back from her face, "I really hope you aren't seeing him…he killed me, Juves. You watched me die because of him. And I still love you. Please don't let me go."

Juvia rolled over, groaning uncomfortably as Gray looked at the time.

 _Time to go. The meat-head will be getting out of bed soon._


	14. Chapter 14

_**NALU ALERT!**_

 _ **I LOVE this chapter! Enjoy! (wink)**_

"You're going on a date...with Gray," Lucy's mouth dropped open as she stared at Gray and Levy.

They were in Gray and Natsu's kitchen, having their morning coffee. It was quickly becoming a morning tradition.

"When did _THIS_ happen?" Lucy exclaimed, recovering from the shock.

"What's a date?" Natsu asked, pouring himself a second cup of coffee.

"It wasn't planned," Levy said to Lucy, "It just kind of…happened. You know. You and Natsu went and had that fun day together. You weren't home yet and so we decided to get something to eat…"

"What's a date?" Natsu repeated, looking from face to face.

"So you went out and bonded? Good thing I ended up spending the night here!" Lucy was grinning widely. The new development was a shocker, but a welcome one. She loved Levy and she just wanted her to be happy, "I mean if I had gone home, that could've been _awkward."_

Natsu tried again, "What's a date?"

"We didn't sleep together," Gray said pointedly, "Well, we did, but we didn't do anything...yet." he shot a look off at Levy as she smacked his arm, "It was coffee and a movie, then sleeping. No big deal. This time we're going to Crocus. We'll be gone overnight…so you two stick together, okay?"

"WHAT'S A DATE?" Natsu asked again, much louder this time.

"Hey Lucy – you can explain that to him, right?" Gray asked, his eyes sparkling as he winked at her with an unsaid 'have fun with that'. He wrapped an arm around Levy's shoulders, "We're outta here!"

Lucy turned red.

They left both Lucy and Natsu in the kitchen, mouths agape, and escaped out into the hallway.

Immediately, Levy dropped Gray's arm from her shoulders, "I want to get one thing straight _right now_ , mister…we are NOT dating and you cannot casually touch me."

Gray snickered, "Yes m'am. But the cover story worked and we now have a full day to go see what's going on in Crocus. Have you got the keys?"

She nodded, "Wasn't easy. Lucy was restless last night and rolled around in her sleep a lot. She was keeping them between her mattresses."

"And you're squared away with work?"

"Yeah. Freed wasn't happy, but he'll get over it."

"Well, let's get going. We don't want to miss the train."

Levy nodded, following after him, still smirking over Gray insinuating to Lucy and Natsu that they _could_ sleep together in the future. Natsu wouldn't get it, but Lucy...Lucy wasn't going to leave her alone about it.

* * *

Back in the kitchen, Natsu sat next to Lucy at the kitchen table with wide eyes.

"I'm not going to tell you, Natsu," Lucy said, continuing to read her paper, "I have a very hard time believing you're completely clueless about this."

"I am though!" Natsu exclaimed, "I seriously don't have a clue!"

She glanced at him, then went back to her paper.

"Please?" Natsu asked, putting on his best puppy dog look. Lucy wondered who had taught him that.

He put his hand down overtop of her paper and stuck his puppy dog eyes in her face.

"Pretty please?"

"OKAY FINE!"

She pondered the best way to bring up the concept.

"Well, you know Gray is a man…and Levy is a woman."

"So far you haven't impressed me with your explaining skills, Lucy…I already knew that."

" _YOU HAVE TO LET ME FINISH!"_ she hissed.

She glanced at him, still in very close proximity to her. She could feel the tops of her ears going red.

"Go sit at the other end of the table."

"What for?" he asked.

"If you want me to tell you, you'll do it."

Obediently, Natsu sat at the other end of the table, watching her expectantly.

"Okay…I can't believe you don't know this already...but here goes. Gray is a man and Levy is a woman. Sometimes when a man and a woman spend a lot of time together, they get _feelings_ for each other. Like they really like spending time together, even more than other people…and so they go on a date. A date is an outing to determine if maybe there could be love between those people. Sometimes after a period of dating, they decide to get married. Sometimes they realize that they're not good together and break up."

"So Gray and Levy are getting these feelings?"

"Apparently."

"But how do they _know_ they have feelings for each other?"

"That's why they're going on a date, Natsu…to see if they have feelings for each other. They enjoy each other's company and they're exploring to see if there could be more."

"What do you mean _more?"_

"I mean they're deciding if they like each other enough to live together and spend the rest of their lives together."

Natsu considered this for a moment.

"What do they feel like…the feelings?"

Lucy let out a deep breath, "Falling in love is a beautiful feeling," she said, her voice low, "You feel warm inside and the other person makes you feel like you're important…and secure…and attractive. It needs to go both ways though…the people have to feel that way about each other."

He watched her, lost in her own little world, as she contemplated the feeling of falling in love.

"You get warm inside when you see the other person," she continued, "and you can't wait to see them when you're apart."

"Have you ever been in love?" he asked.

She paused, her face suddenly white.

"No," she answered finally.

"What did Gray mean by 'sleeping together'? He told me a story yesterday and I didn't know why that could be a bad thing."

Her face felt like a volcano about to spew. She needed to change the subject…fast.

"Where did you grow up, Natsu, that you don't know any of this? I mean, most 12-year-olds know this stuff. You're what…23? 24?"

"23. And I grew up in an orphanage," he said immediately.

She nodded, remembering he'd already told her he never knew his parents.

"Didn't anyone teach you about how life works?" she asked.

He shook his head, "This is longest I've ever interacted with people."

"You've been alone for a good portion of your life, haven't you?" Lucy searched his face as a distinct expression of loneliness clouded his eyes.

"I've always been alone," he answered.

"But who looked _after_ you? Who tucked you in at night? Who _loved_ you?"

"Nobody," Natsu said, his face expressionless, "They all stayed away from me because I'd get into trouble from time to time…after awhile I stopped trying to find a home that would love me. I decided that if nobody wanted to be with me and everybody just got mad at me all the time, maybe I'm just not lovable."

Something broke inside her. The look on his face was one of calm acceptance. He honestly believed he wasn't lovable.

She stood from her seat, circling the table and pulled him into a hug. It surprised him and he didn't know what to do at first. Slowly, he placed his arms around her waist, melting into her embrace. He loved the contact. There was something about being hugged by another person that brought calmness to him. The fact that the person hugging him was _Lucy_ just made it all the more special. She sent tingles through his body even when she wasn't trying to.

"You didn't deserve that, Natsu," she said into his hair, "You're smart and funny and easy to be around. It seems to me that you're bursting with love for everything around you. You are _completely_ lovable. One day, someone will want to share that with you. And she will be the luckiest person in Earthland."

She sat on his lap so that she could give him a full-on hug, burying her face in his shoulder. His emotions were in turmoil again. He hugged her back, not really understanding why there were tears streaming down her face. Was she crying…for him? Was it because he'd been alone for so long? Or because nobody had ever loved him?

She'd said such nice things about him. He didn't know if he could agree he was smart or funny or easy to be around, but he felt a surge of _something_ swell in him as she spoke. _You are completely lovable._ If that was true though…would he have spent so long alone?

She pulled her tear-streaked face up. He watched her with wonder. She was so amazing. Lucy had grown up alone in a different way. But she was full of kindness and infinite patience.

"Natsu," she said softly, "What should we do today?"

She was still sitting on his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. Another wave of that odd feeling he couldn't identify swept through him as he tightened his arms around her lower back.

"What do _you_ want to do today, Lucy?"

 _THIS!_ Her mind screamed, but she forced herself to get composed and got off of his lap.

"We should do something fun," she suggested, "Let's take Plue for a swim."

He nodded. He liked swimming. He'd had tons of practice when he in the Animal Welfare Division.

"Okay," she said, kissing his cheek, "I'll go get my swimsuit on."

She disappeared out the door.

His fingers flew to where she'd kissed him, a warm feeling spreading through his body. That small kiss had warmed up his entire body. Hugging her was amazing. And _she_ had initiated the hug. _She_ had told him he was lovable. A sense of excitement surged through him. He was going to get to spend the entire day with her while Gray and Levy were gone. And she _wanted_ to be with him.

For the first time in his existence, Natsu Dragneel started to wonder if it was possible for him to love someone and have them love him back. He hoped so. Because the myriad of emotions running through him were not subsiding. And the only time these kinds of surges of emotion came was when he was with Lucy Heartfilia.


	15. Chapter 15

"You're sure, right?" Gray teased Levy as they approached a warehouse in the centre of Crocus, "Because the last 3 warehouses were duds and we were lucky we didn't get seen."

She sighed heavily, "I only read the letter to Lucy once when she was 8," she hissed back to Gray, "She burned it because Layla said at the bottom to do so. Layla left an address, but since I can't remember it, we're going by my memory of the picture."

He nodded, "And all these warehouses kind of do look the same. Good news is, this is the third. Only 700 – 1000 other possibilities."

She shot him a look that warned him to shut the hell up, then slipped into the shadows. He followed her.

This warehouse was easier to enter than the last one. The people working in the warehouse were having a meeting of sorts, giving Gray and Levy the chance to flit across the room unnoticed.

They split up, checking the hallways. Levy had shown Gray the unique design of the keys. It wouldn't be hard to spot the right doors if they could just find them.

Levy came to the end of her hallway and turned to go back the other way, not seeing anything worse mentioning. She watched with horror as the entire group of human employees entered Gray's hallway. Flitting to the entrance of it, she tried to spot Gray in the shadows. She caught his glint in the upper right hand corner at the end of the hall. He was fine as long as they didn't turn any more lights on. But he was stuck.

Levy glanced around for something…anything that would get the men out of the hallway. They were observing one their bosses as he was pointing to a weld that needed some attention. She bounced into _transparency,_ praying nobody was turned that way, then ran past a desk, sticking her hand out as she ran. The entire stack of welding molds fell off of the desk, clamoring noisily.

She flitted back into _shadow_ and waited.

Some of the men came out to see what the noise was, but not all of them. Even so, it gave Gray a chance to move, joining Levy in the shadows of the main room.

She glanced at him and he shook his head. It wasn't the hall they were looking for.

They managed to escape the warehouse with no further incident.

Going back to solid form, Levy took out the keys and examined them.

"I wish there was a clue of some sort on these keys to help us."

He took the keys from her and examined them himself, "There! Look – if you look really carefully, there's a faded symbol on this one."

She glanced at it, seeing what he meant.

"Let's look for a warehouse with that symbol," he suggested.

They glanced around. There were warehouses everywhere.

"We're going to need to split up," Levy said, "There's just too many."

"I left my walkie-talkies at home," Gray dead-panned, "We're gonna need some way to keep in touch or to get each other's attention."

"Or, we could just meet back here every hour," Levy suggested.

"Go row by row. Seeya in an hour."

Levy nodded to him, slipping into _transparency._

Gray could be ridiculously bossy. She wondered if he knew he was shirtless. Not that she minded. He could be shirtless all the time for all she cared. Gray had definite...eye candy attributes.

* * *

An hour later, Gray returned to their spot, waiting nervously. He hadn't found anything. He waited another 10 minutes, checking his watch to be sure it was still ticking.

 _Where is she?_

He glanced at his watch again. 20 minutes late.

At the half hour late mark, he started to get really concerned. He considered his options. Maybe he should go check her rows of warehouses and see if he could locate her. Or go check another row of his warehouses and just pray she forgot to come back.

He sighed. He knew he couldn't go check his own warehouses. He wouldn't stop worrying about Levy the whole time. Levy was feisty and smart and...well, let's face it - she was drop-dead gorgeous. She could handle herself and there was really no need to worry. But worry he would, so he started toward her warehouses.

He could use the shadows now instead of _transparency_. The sun was starting to set. Moving in the shadows was slightly faster. He made good time, flitting through warehouse after warehouse quickly. They were starting to close up the warehouses for the day and Gray was seriously beginning to panic. It was a stupid idea to separate!

He came to the end of a row and flitted to the next, starting to work his way back.

"Gray!"

He turned his head, spotting her in the shadow.

"Where the hell have you been! I've been worried sick!"

"Sorry," she muttered, motioning for him to follow her, "I got stuck in a warehouse when they locked up. Took a bit of maneuvering to get out. But I found the door we're looking for."

"Door? Aren't there multiple? There's 3 keys."

She flitted across the ground to get to the storage warehouse in question. Gray glanced across the yard, then followed her. Jumping through a half-open window, they entered the building still in shadow form. She knew where she was going, leading them straight to a door.

"3 keys, 3 locks," Gray whispered, "I suppose that makes sense."

"Let's just hope no one spots my open window and we can get outta here. They're almost closed. If we wait for a few minutes, everyone will be gone and we can open the door without interruption."

He nodded.

20 minutes later, the building was silent.

"Stay in _translucency,"_ Gray warned, "We don't know if there's security cameras here."

They flitted down the hall in _shadow,_ changing into _translucency_ in front of the door.

Levy took the keys out, glancing at Gray. He nodded and she proceeded to take them off the key chain.

Each key fit nicely, once they figured out which one went where. The door opened with a creak.

"Wouldn't you think someone would be curious what's behind this door?" Levy asked, "It's been untouched for years."

"I don't think humans care as long as someone is paying for the storage," Gray replied.

Levy nodded, "And if Layla knew her death was imminent, she would have pre-paid it for decades, knowing Lucy wouldn't get to it immediately."

They entered as quietly as they could. There were some boxes. An old photo album sat on top of one of them. Unable to resist, Levy opened the book, smiling as she recognized pictures of baby Lucy. They were all pictures of happiness. Pictures of her mother playing with Lucy, sometimes her father. Levy knew she'd have to find a way to get Lucy out here one day so that she could view the album herself. It might be a good condolence prize for giving up her mother's keys in exchange for freedom…if Dan would take that deal.

Levy also found some other items that Lucy would love to have: a doll with blonde hair and boxes and boxes of letters written from Layla to Lucy before she died.

"Levy," Gray whispered, " _THIS_ is why Dan wants the keys."

She went to his side, peering over his shoulder. Her eyes widened.

Gray had opened a box. Bricks of pure gold were stacked neatly inside.

"Open the other boxes," he directed.

"Gray," Levy said, holding up a piece of paper, "It's a letter. From Layla."

When they were finished, they realized there 7 boxes with gold bricks in them. It was a multi-million dollar room. The other boxes were simply keepsakes and letters, but they would mean more to Lucy than the gold boxes combined.

"Read the letter," Gray sat on a box of gold bars to listen.

 _My Dearest Lucy:_

 _By the time you find this room and its' contents, I'll be little more than a memory. I don't like speaking ill of your father, but this may be the only time I'll ever get to explain to you what's really happening. Tomorrow, the boxes will all be moved to a storage unit._

 _Your father got involved with a man name Jose Porla a few years back. I don't want to go into details, especially since Jose has now been put into jail with a life sentence. The story is irrelevant. What you need to know is that your father stole the contents of the boxes from Jose…and that I stole these boxes from your father, knowing if I didn't, the police would be by for him next. Don't believe that my death was due to my illness, Lucy. While it's true that I am ill, if I die soon, it will be because your father has figured out who stole the boxes from under his nose._

 _So why did I do it?_

 _These bars are fake. They're counterfeit, except for one box. I guess I was angry at Jude for changing so completely. He's not the man I fell in love with. But I still couldn't bear the thought of him following Jose to jail with a life sentence. Mostly because I can't stand the thought of you growing up alone. Being that they're mostly counterfeit, I decided not to go to the cops, but to hide them from Jude and prevent him from using them illegally. Unfortunately, Jude is not the only one who wants these bars. I believe the counterfeit bars have something else hiding inside them. I can't think of any other reason Jude would be so enraged about their disappearance._

 _By the time you read this letter, Lucy, I hope you'll be a well-developed, confident woman. DO NOT let your father have the contents of this room under any circumstances. I know it makes him angry, but in my own small way, I was just trying to protect you both._

 _Always remember how much I love you,_

 _Layla Heartfilia_

Gray and Levy glanced at each other.

"I'm trying to decide if I respect Layla's decision or not," Gray said slowly.

"I'd really like to take the keepsakes for Lucy," Levy said, "but we'll have to come back with a wagon or something some other time. The gold bars…I think they're better off staying here."

"I would agree with that," Gray said, "We'll have to find a way to convince Lucy to come out here for the keepsakes. The storeroom is likely in her name and we won't have to sneak in again."

"We should break a bar in half," Levy suggested, "To see if Layla is right and there's something packed away in the counterfeit bars."

Gray shook his head, "I'm all out of sledge hammers. Gold bars are dang near impossible to break in half. We'll have to come back."

She nodded. They boxed the room up the way they found it, blowing dust back onto the boxes so that they looked undisturbed and locked the doors again.

"Hotel room?" Gray asked when it was safe to turn solid again.

She nodded, feeling tired after their day. Their investigation had taken all day, but it was worth it. For the first time, Levy had some answers.


	16. Chapter 16

While Gray and Levy were warehouse searching, Lucy and Natsu were having another leisurely fun day.

They started with a trip to the beach, bringing Plue. Lucy wasn't sure which one of them was having the better time splashing in the water. Natsu was actually a really good swimmer, surprising Lucy since he seemed to need to learn everything else.

She swam in relaxed mode, making lazy circles around the area that Natsu and Plue splashed. Eventually, Natsu got the brilliant idea to tackle Lucy, tickling her in the water. They ended up having a massive water fight, wrestling with each other until they ended up on the beach in an awkward hug. Lucy sprang back out into the water to relieve the moment's tension and splashed him again. They played for a couple hours before deciding to take Plue home for his afternoon meal.

After swimming, Natsu still had energy. Lucy wracked her brain before settling on laser tag. Of course Natsu had no clue what that was, but it didn't take him long to get it. Lucy was incredible at the game. She sniped him, cornered him, and stalked him. After looking at the scores from the first game, Natsu determined that the second would a different game altogether.

He was wrong. Lucy still creamed him.

"Now what do we do?" Natsu asked as they walked through the park. His hands were locked behind his head and he walked, pushing his knees high into the air. She thought he looked silly, but it was kind of endearing.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Could be. Whatcha got in mind?"

"Pizza and a movie?"

"Pizza?"

"You're kidding, right? You've never had pizza?"

He looked at her with a blank expression, "Should I have?"

Her face broke out into a grin, "Come on, Natsu!"

She grabbed his hand and broke out into a run. To home?

"Why are we home, Lucy? Don't we need to go out to get pizza?"

She was still grinning as they ran up to the stairs. He went for his apartment, but she pulled him back, "Let's watch a movie in _our_ apartment tonight, okay?"

He smiled. Lucy had never invited him into her apartment before. He knew what it looked like because Gray had him checking on her at night, but she didn't know that. This was a big step…being trusted enough to be invited inside her private domain.

He followed her in, glancing at some pictures he'd never noticed before. There was a picture of Levy and Lucy together and another one of an owl.

"Sit on the couch!" she hollered from the other room.

Obediently, he sat on the couch to wait, noticing right away how much more comfortable it was than his and Gray's. Their TV was bigger too. Lucy and Levy had rented an already-furnished apartment just like Gray and Natsu had, but he definitely liked their furniture better. He liked their whole _apartment_ better. Lucy and Levy had personal items all over the place. It made the place look more…homey.

She came out of the bedroom with a big book.

"What do you want on the pizza?"

At his completely blank expression, she broke out into a grin, "Forget it. I'll just order and you get what you get."

He watched with interest as she used the book to find a number, then called the pizza outlet and ordered 2 large pizzas, one with pepperoni and olive, and the other with every meat imaginable.

"Now, we pick a movie!" she announced.

She plopped down on the couch beside him, kicking her feet up on his lap, and turned on Netflix. Immediately Plue sat at the base of the couch, contented.

"What kind of movies do you like?"

She paused, realizing he probably didn't have experience with movies either.

"Okay, let's rephrase that…is there anything you _don't_ like…like horror, or mystery, or cop shows…"

"I didn't like the cop show Gray had on the other night," Natsu said, "I don't like shows where people get hurt or killed. I don't see how that's entertainment."

"Fair enough!" she scrolled to the comedy section.

She needed to find a movie that wouldn't scare him. Something really mild. _Disney_. Disney couldn't scare anyone, right? As she scrolled through the movies, she frowned slightly. It was harder to find a movie without violence than she thought! Even Disneys had their share of violence.

She selected Tangled, figuring it was a tale that Natsu would enjoy with mild violence and lots of funny moments. Just as she got it ready, the door buzzer rang.

She grinned, "Pizza's here!"

He watched her as she hit a button, then waited at the door. There was a knock. Lucy opened the door, paid the man, and received two boxes.

She brought the boxes to the coffee table and set them down.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked, "Because pizza is about to blow your mind."

She pulled open the lid, grabbed a plate and put a piece of each kind on it for Natsu. He waited until she got her pizza as well before taking his first bite.

"Oh wow."

"Do you like it?" she asked, her face beaming.

"Just wow."

He didn't speak again, stuffing his face with the 2nd piece already.

Laughing, she settled back onto the couch, Plue curled up beside her, and pressed play on the movie.

Tangled was a movie Lucy could watch over and over again. She loved the animation. She loved the story. It had been years since she'd watched it, opting these days for something more like a romantic comedy (which she absolutely _could not_ watch with Natsu). Everything about this show was fun, though. She hoped Natsu would think so too.

She watched him more than the movie. Every time the characters ran or got into a fight, his eyes got wide, but he otherwise didn't move. When the songs came, he furrowed his brow, but he didn't ask her any questions. He watched multiple scenes, like where Rapunzel is experiencing her time in grass, with a strange look in his eye. He watched her agonize between leaving the tower, or obeying her mother with a sad, conflicted look on his face. Unconsciously, Lucy moved over a little closer to him.

The magic flowed through Rapuzel's hair and healed Eugene. Natsu turned and caught her eye, then returned to the movie. Lucy had never seen him sit so still or pay all his attention to one thing like this before. She wasn't sure if he was enjoying the movie or not.

Rapunzel ran around the town square with excitement in her eyes as she experienced a 'festival' for the first time. Small tears gathered in Natsu's eyes. Lucy took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. She was beginning to doubt her choice in movie.

By the time the lantern scene came along, Lucy was cuddled into Natsu's side. His arm slowly dropped from the top of the couch to around her shoulders as she tried to send him vibes of ' _please like this movie'._ She was terrified she was scarring him, exposing him to things that would just confuse him.

Flynn was enamoured with Rapunzel, feeling the first stirs of wanting to kiss her and Lucy felt Natsu's body stiffen. It relaxed a moment after the kiss scene was over and the movie got exciting again. She looked up at him. He was staring at the movie again, small beads of sweat lining his forehead. He glanced at her, their eyes locking, then he quickly diverted his gaze, watching the rest of the movie in complete silence.

When it was over, Lucy sat up, glancing back at him for a reaction. He stretched and got up to move around the room. Sitting still for so long was unusual for him.

"So?" she asked, "What did you think of the movie?"

"It was interesting," he said, "There were a lot of things in it that made me come with questions."

"I've never seen you so quiet," she commented, passing him a Pepsi from her fridge.

"Like magic," he stated, sitting back down onto the couch and reaching for a piece of leftover pizza, "Is it real? How did the old lady know that Rapunzel's hair would make her young? What would happen if Rapunzel lost her brush – would the magic still work? Why was it the _only_ form of magic in that world?"

Lucy opened her mouth to speak.

"And then there's her parents. How did they know it was her, especially after her blonde hair was gone? Why didn't they look for her when she was a baby?"

"You didn't like the movie," Lucy said, "I'm sorry. I had trouble choosing a movie. I thought maybe that one would be okay."

He smiled, "But I did like it, Lucy. Rapunzel reminded me of myself. She was kept away from the world and she had no idea how it worked. She had a lot of first experiences. But best of all, she _learned._ At the end, she found her happiness. I'd really like to think that maybe one day, I'll find mine too."

She smiled back.

"So what do we do now?" Natsu asked, stretching again.

"It's late. We should go to bed," Lucy said.

He nodded, heading for the door, "Levy and Gray will be back tomorrow afternoon, I guess. I wonder if they…found their feelings on their date."

Lucy smiled gently, "I guess we'll find out tomorrow. In a way, I hope they _do_ decide to date more. Levy has been alone with only me for a companion for a lot of years. I want her to be happy. If Gray makes her happy, then they have my support."

He looked at her in her eyes, "You mean you hope they fall in love. Because that would make Levy happy?"

She squirmed a bit underneath his intense stare, "Yes."

"What would make you happy, Luce?"

She dropped her eyes to her feet, turning red, "I am happy."

"No, you're not," he stated, lifting her chin gently, nudging her face up to look at him, "You're lonely. And you're hurting. Even I can see that and I'm the densest person in the world."

He held her gaze, his fingers lightly brushing her hair, "Please Lucy. Tell me how to help you. I'll do anything."

She was squirming, still trying to avoid his eyes. He cupped her face with his other hand. Finally, she stopped resisting as she made eye contact with him.

They stared at each other for a good minute before Lucy slowly went up on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to Natsu's. It was a light kiss. Lucy's arms slid around his back, one hand pushing lightly on his hair to bring his tall frame down to meet her shorter one. She ran her tongue along his bottom lip, slightly tilting her head to make the kiss a bit deeper.

She pulled back, her fingers to her own lips as she backed away slightly to give him room and gauge his reaction. He stood in the same spot, mouth agape…completely still.

"Oh Mavis…I can't believe I just did that!" she exclaimed. She turned 30 shades of purple, "Natsu…"

He didn't move.

"Natsu?" she asked, reaching an arm out. She hesitated, "Please say something. I'm sorry if I crossed a line. It was just that moment…Natsu?"

If Natsu thought he'd had other moments of overwhelming emotion, this one blew the others out of the water. He had never had a moment of such absolute bliss. Lucy was so beautiful…so kind… Was it even possible that she…someone so amazing…could even slightly care about Natsu _that way_? Warmth spread throughout his body. His vision began to blur and he wavered on his feet.

Natsu looked down at her long enough for her to see his eyes roll back into the back of his head.

"NATSU!"

The _Angel of Oops_ fainted.


	17. Chapter 17

Gray and Levy were in a hotel room with two Queen-sized beds in Crocus, getting ready for bed.

"So what do we do now?" Levy asked, "We've got some new information…what do we do about it?"

Gray sighed, "Good question. I suppose we need to let Natsu know about what we found out. He should have some inkling of what's going on at least. Especially if I'm going to leave town and track Dan. He'll be the one protecting Lucy."

"He still thinks we're on a date," Levy said, "Lucy does too. How are we going to handle that? If Natsu finds out it was a cover story, it might get complicated trying to keep it from Lucy."

Gray glanced at her, looking her up and down, "Is it the end of the world for people to believe we're dating?"

She blushed, looking away to the corner of the room, "You're such an egomaniac!"

"We have a lot to tell Natsu," Gray said more seriously, "Not to mention the little bomb that you're an Angel too. Maybe we're better to maintain the story. It will give us excuses to disappear now and then. Let's at least keep it to ourselves until I know where Dan is."

He paused, watching her unpack her t-shirt and shorts for bed.

"That's not going to make things awkward for you, is it?"

She glanced up, "What do you mean?"

A half-smile on his face, Gray grabbed his toothbrush out of his travel bag, "Pretending to date me. I mean, I know I'm hot and one helluva catch, but I saw the way you looked at Gajeel. If there's something there, maybe we'd better come up with a Plan C and you should talk to him before he's done his probation."

She snickered, "He's a good guy, but you and I both know it can never happen. I'm an Angel. I have an assignment…and the assignment is the only thing that matters to me. It's forbidden anyway...a human and an Angel."

"It's not forbidden between an Angel and an Angel," he said pointedly.

They stared at each, a heated gaze sending sparks flying in the room. She flushed, grabbing her stuff to head for the bathroom for a shower. He hopped the bed and blocked her path, catching her wrist. She was eye-level with his bare chest. They stared at each other for a moment. Slowly, he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. She ran her hands over his abs lightly as his arms came down around her waist.

"Levy," he whispered, moving in to deepen the kiss.

She lifted her head to accommodate him, then shook her head, pushing him away, "No, no...this can't happen."

"It isn't forbidden," he repeated, "Please tell me I'm not reading your signals wrong."

"You're not," she said softly, looking directly into his eyes, "I think you're incredibly sexy. You have incredible observation skills, which is an insane turn-on. Plus, although you act all tough and icy on the outside, I can see how much you care about Natsu and Lucy...and me...but it can't happen. Not while you're still pining over Juvia."

His mouth gaped open. He was still leaning over her, "What do you know about Juvia -"

"I watch you too," she reminded.

Gray stepped back, giving her access to the bathroom door, "I'm sorry Levy."

She stopped mid-door, turning to him, "You're a good guy, Gray. But you need to find a way to get past your pain," she started to close the door, catching his eye, "If you ever find you can let her go, I'm not going anywhere. Come find me."

The door closed completely and Gray sat down on the bed, defeated.

He wondered if Natsu was rubbing off on him...because _that_ was a major oops.

* * *

Natsu had only fainted for a few moments. He was awake now. She had helped him to the couch. They sat on opposite ends of the sofa now in atmosphere of what could only be described as…awkward.

"I'm so sorry," Lucy was wiping the tears streaming down her face with her hand.

Natsu was still sitting in a stupefied trance, trying to find words to comfort her with and failing _miserably._

"I shouldn't have done it," Lucy said, looking down at her toes, "Please tell me I haven't ruined our friendship, Natsu. I didn't mean to ruin anything. It's just that…"

"Luce," Natsu said, finally managing to come out of shock, "It's okay."

"How is it okay?" she exclaimed forlornly, "I made you faint!"

He shook his head, moving a bit closer to her…but not _too_ close, "I fainted because my brain couldn't keep up with my emotions. Not because I didn't want you to kiss me. Or because it scared me. I actually think it was the single most amazing moment of my existance. I simply…wasn't prepared for it."

Even he was shocked at how logical that sounded.

"If anything," he continued, his voice low, "It never occurred to me that you might _want_ to kiss me. I'm a clueless moron. Gray says so all the time. Why would anyone _want_ to kiss a clueless moron? Especially someone like me?"

"Why _wouldn't_ I want to kiss you?" she asked, her voice contorted in confusion, "You're smart – you catch on very quickly when a new concept is introduced to you. And you're funny and exciting to hang out with," her tears were subsiding, calmed by the sound of his voice, "You're very innocent, but you're not a moron and you're not stupid. Gray isn't all that nice to you, is he?"

"No," he said simply, "Not usually."

Another awkward silence came between them. Plue nudged Lucy's hand. She patted him, trying to think of what to say next.

"So I haven't ruined our friendship?" she asked finally.

"Never," he answered honestly, "You're the best friend I've ever had. Nothing could change the way I feel about you."

She paused, edging slightly closer, "How do you feel about me, Natsu?"

"I…like you," he said, looking down at his hands, "I think you're pretty…and smart. You make me laugh. I feel _happy_ when I'm around you."

"I like you too. And I promise I won't do it again."

He glanced at her, smirking slightly, "I wouldn't hate it if you did. I just need more warning."

They exchanged a gentle smile.

"Maybe…" Lucy moved a tiny bit closer to her, reaching for his hand. He squeezed it lightly, "Maybe we should go on a date. Maybe we should see if we have 'special feelings' for each other."

"Maybe I would like that," he said gently.

Their fingers intertwined. This time, the gaze they held wasn't awkward. It was full of wonder.

"Can I kiss you again?" Lucy asked, leaning forward so her head was inches away from his.

He skimmed his lips over hers, completely immersed in the moment, "Please."

She pressed her lips to his gently, moving her hands to his back. He leaned in, this time kissing her back. The swirl of emotion flooded through Natsu's body again, but this time, he knew what it was…he was attracted to Lucy…he had 'special feelings' for her.

They broke apart, both of them blushing, their foreheads pressed together.

"It's late," she murmured, "We should both go to bed. You can…stay here with me if you want to."

He shook his head, "I already slept with you once. Apparently, that's some big marker in a relationship from what Gray said. I think it would be better if we took things _really_ slow. I don't want to faint on you again."

She smiled, then broke out into a laugh as she realized he thought the night they spent on the couch together constituted as 'sleeping together'. She wasn't going to volunteer the real definition...yet. He was right. He wasn't ready to know about all the things that happened in a deep relationship. Neither of them were ready for that step anyway. And even just sleeping in the same bed was a little too much at this time. All of this was too brand new and too fragile.

"Can we go on a date tomorrow?" Natsu asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"I have to work during the day," she replied, "but tomorrow night, let's get dinner together."

He nodded, pulling away so he could stand up. Their hands were joined as she walked him to the door.

He leaned down and kissed her again.

"Goodnight Lucy."

"Natsu!" she called as he went to his own apartment door.

He turned, smiling at her gently.

"I've only known you a few days, maybe a week," she said, "But they've been the happiest days of my life. And I don't and have never thought you're a clueless moron. You're funny and bright…and you make me feel safe and happy. I just…wanted you to know."

He nodded, thankful for her kind words. His confidence soared. She _liked_ him.

He watched her until she closed the door and he heard the locks pop into place.

 _Thank you, Lucy._

For the first time since he could remember, Natsu felt extremely happy too.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Ohhh, I waited 3 days to post the last 2 chapters. So glad they were liked!**_

 _ **Writing Pixie wrote a comment wondering if my motivation for this story was Tangled.**_

 _ **Believe it or not, I didn't know I would use Tangled until I sat for an hour, browsing Netflix for a movie that wouldn't scare Natsu.**_ _ **Lucy's comment about how hard it was find a movie without violence was actually...really accurate. I came across lots of**_ _ **movies that I considered for that scene: Ever After, Ella Enchanted, Frozen and Epic were forerunners. I'm such a sucker for romantic movies.**_

 _ **Ultimately, I chose Tangled because...well, I just LOVE that movie. That, and I thought it might have enough adventure in it to keep Natsu interested without being overwhelmed by the romantic plots.**_

 _ **But it didn't occur to me that Rapunzel grew up separated from the world until I was trying to imagine how Natsu would react to the movie.**_ _ **It just kind of...**_ ** _worked._**

 ** _Anyway, the real motivation behind this story is because I had just finished Celestial Heartbeat and its sequel: Heart of the Lost Princess._**

 ** _Heart of the Lost Princess was so dark and so complicated (although I love the tale), I decided I really wanted to write something with a completely different feel...something cute and funny. The opposite of the depths of Hell would be Heaven. I considered Lucy and Levy for the Angels first, because Natsu would seriously make a terrible Angel...oooooooohhhhhhh...the light went on and the rest is history._**

 ** _Anyway, onward and upward! Things are getting complicated now...couldn't possibly get more complicated...could it?_**

 ** _~ShanaHollows~_**

* * *

Natsu spent the first part of the day with his head in the clouds. It was like every burden had suddenly lifted from him.

 _Lucy wants to have a date with me. Me!_

He replayed their kisses in his mind over and over again. He wished he could re-do the first kiss and not faint, but the other kisses had more than made up for his insecurity.

He bounced out of bed and dressed in a hurry - she'd be outside with Plue soon! Maybe he could see her before her work!

She was already outside, encouraging Plue to do his thing when he walked out of the apartment doors. He stood and watched her as she played with him, totally engrossed in her beauty.

"Natsu!" she called, waving. She had a grin on her face and once again Natsu was blown away by her sheer beauty.

"Hi!" he said dumbly. He seriously couldn't think of a thing to say.

"I didn't think I'd see you this morning," she said, blushing as they approached each other, standing about a foot apart.

He looked down at his feet, then up at her face. He was blushing too, "I wanted to see you. Even if it was only for a few minutes before your work. I thought maybe I'd go for a jog now. I have far too much energy."

"I'm really looking forward to seeing you tonight," Lucy reached for Natsu's hand, holding it gently, "I'm excited. It's weird because we've spent lots of time together. But this is different, isn't it?"

He gazed down into her eyes, their bodies inching closer, "I didn't sleep last night. I keep thinking it's a dream."

She pushed herself up on her tippy toes, kissing him very gently, "It's not a dream, Natsu. I really like you...and I really want this date."

He blushed, kissing her back. It was a short kiss that ended far too soon for him as she went back to flat feet. Plue was done his business and was staring at them curiously.

Lucy laughed as he pulled on his leash to go back to the apartment.

"I guess I have to go," she said, their fingers still outstretched to each other as Plue starting pulling Lucy for the door.

"I'll see you tonight, Luce," he smiled as she disappeared into the building, sighing heavily when he realized several minutes later that he was _still staring at the door_ and she'd been gone for 5 minutes.

Shaking his head, he made himself turn around and go on a jog. In reality, he sprinted the entire time he was gone.

* * *

Lucy was at work now and Natsu realized he should be spending the time alone to prepare for the date. He cocked his head.

"Happy, I have no clue what to do on a date!"

The kitten mewed at him.

"Seriously, Happy. Help me out here...I have no clue what to do. I want it to be perfect."

Happy pawed at his empty food plate, meowing as he pressed up against Natsu's outstretched fingers.

"You're not a very good help here, Happy. We're going to have to work on your advice-giving skills."

He sighed, wondering who else he could ask for advice.

He heard the key in the apartment lock, indicating Gray was home.

Happy mewed again.

"Really, Happy? Ask Gray? He's going to laugh at me and tell me I'm stupid because I honestly don't know what to do. Come up with another plan."

Happy rubbed up against Natsu's outstretched hand and purred.

"Ok fine. You're right, little buddy. I suppose I don't have a ton of options."

It _wasn't_ the best option, but Gray might be able to tell him about dating if he asked the right way. After all, he'd just gotten home from an entire night with Levy. He nodded at Happy, who, in Natsu's mind, had agreed with Natsu's plan to not ask Gray directly, but get information through indirect questioning.

Getting off of the couch, he went to meet his roommate and welcome him home from his trip. Operational Learn-to-date was a go.

* * *

Natsu followed as Gray took his overnight bag into his room and dropped it on the bed, dumping the contents onto the bedspread.

He had walked in the door about 10 minutes ago, immediately annoyed by the pink-haired man that stared at him but offered no words of explanation. He simply stared.

Gray looked at Natsu quickly, then ignored him, continuing with his unpacking.

Natsu kept staring.

"Why are you in my room, Flame-Brain?" Gray asked finally.

"I guess I'd like to know how your date went," Natsu said, looking at the floor.

"You're lying," Gray said right away, noting that Natsu wouldn't look at him, "But for the record, it went fine."

Gray and Levy had decided to keep up their dating facade anyway, despite the tension between them. It was a good cover to get away if they needed to do some uninterrupted and unquestioned investigations.

He put some of the clean clothes back in his dresser, chucking the dirty ones in the laundry basket…that's right – they would need to do laundry before long. He couldn't _wait_ to show Natsu _that_ chore. Everything would come out as pink as his hair. Maybe it was a chore Gray should take on himself.

"Wanna tell me what you're lying about?" Gray asked after a minute, "Because I can tell by the way you're still acting like a dufus that you didn't just wanna know how my date went."

Natsu visibly gulped.

"Did something happen last night?" Gray pushed.

"No," Natsu said slowly, "Nothing bad."

It _wasn't_ a lie! What happened was _far_ from bad!

"Then what do you want?"

Natsu shuffled his feet back and forth, searching for a way to pose his question without telling Gray about the date. The last thing he needed was to be teased.

"What's the difference between hanging out and a date?"

Gray stared at him, trying to pinpoint Natsu's nervous behaviour, "Hanging out is strictly between friends and a date implies special feelings or the intent to get to know someone better with the purposes of forming a relationship…why?"

"No reason," Natsu said.

He shuffled his feet again, then stooped to pick up a dime he found on the floor.

"Why are you still here, Dipshit?"

"I _missed_ you!" Natsu said sarcastically.

Gray's eyebrows lifted. Since when did Natsu know how to use sarcasm?

"So…" Natsu asked casually, both fists still in his pockets, "Do you do anything _special_ for a date? Like dress up or buy gifts or something?"

Gray put down the towel he'd grabbed for a shower.

"What's the deal?"

Natsu stared at him, his mind racing, "I'm just curious what happened between you and Levy last night?"

It didn't even sound like a convincing excuse to Natsu.

"How is that your business?" Gray asked, watching Natsu.

"I'm curious! I need to know how human dating works."

"Why do you need to know that?" Gray was crossing the room, watching Natsu out of the corner of his eye.

"No reason."

"What have you done now?" Gray demanded.

"Nothing."

"Natsu!" Gray's voice raised, " _What are you up to?"_

Natsu spun on his heel and bolted out the door. Too much pressure! RETREAT!

Gray thundered down the hall after him.

"NATSU! You need to explain yourself RIGHT NOW!"

Natsu ran into the living room, heading for the balcony.

"You can't run away this way, you Moron!" Gray grabbed his shirt, dragging him back in, "What were going to do, jump off the balcony?"

He tossed Natsu onto the couch.

"Tell me what's going on!"

"I'm going on a date with Lucy!" Natsu yelled.

Gray was torn between being angry and laughing his head off.

"You're what?"

"After her work tonight," Natsu told him, "I'm picking her up. We're going for dinner. I guess I just want to know what's expected on a date. How do I act differently? What makes it a date instead of a regular hang-out?"

Gray sat down on the couch beside him, completely shocked.

 _We were gone for 24 hours! 24 hours!_

"Boy, I can't leave you unsupervised for a minute, can I?" Gray shook his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You can't date Lucy, Bonehead," Gray shook a finger at him, "You are an Angel who took a mission to protect her and help her find happiness. You don't hit on your assignments!" he paused, his eyes widening, "You didn't do anything to her, did you? Tell me you didn't do anything to her!"

"We kissed," Natsu admitted shyly.

Gray stared at him, mortified, "My God – what were you _thinking?_ You are so stupid! Seriously, really flippin' stupid! _"_

"I was _thinking_ that I like her and she likes me!" Natsu yelled, getting off the couch, "For the first time in my life, someone actually likes me for me! She respects me and she cares about what I think and how I feel about things! She thinks I'm funny and smart and easy to be with! We like each other – it's not just me! So if the mission is to make her happy and I make her happy, _WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?!"_

Gray stared at him, his mouth dropped open in shock.

"And another thing!" Natsu yelled, whacking over the CD stand with an angry fist, "I've about had enough of you calling me _stupid_ and _moron_ all the time! Try looking in the mirror…because while I've been busting my butt trying to find a way for those girls to get some peace in their lives, you've been nothing but a sarcastic assholish bastard! So you tell me…WHO'S THE MORON HERE?!"

Gray was shell-shocked. He honestly, truly did not know what to say. Natsu was stooped overtop of Gray's body with a fist in his face. He was seething mad, his breath coming in short, angry bursts. A vein popped out on his forehead. Since when does Natsu challenge authority, yet alone yell at them… _in their face?_ And where in the heck did he learn that kind of language?

Gray started to laugh. At first it was a chuckle, then an all-out, roaring laugh.

Natsu stood back, confused at the reaction. Anger still boiled through his veins.

" _Angel of Oops,"_ Gray said in a low, dangerous voice, "You have _crossed the line."_

Gray lunged at him, tackling Natsu to the ground with a fist to his face. Natsu retaliated by kicking up into Gray's stomach, throwing him backward. Gray didn't stay still long, launching himself on top of Natsu with another punch to his head. They rolled back and forth on the ground, punching, hitting, and Natsu even managed to bite Gray once.

"How can you be so idiotic?" Gray yelled, grabbing one of Natsu's leg and twisting it in the wrong direction.

Natsu yelped, then rounded his leg so it wasn't awkward anymore. He slammed his fist down on Gray's back, earning a howl of pain.

"How can you be such a selfish jerk?" he shot back.

"Well, well, well," a voice said from toward the kitchen, "Good to know you boys are getting along well."

Gray and Natsu stopped mid-fight, Gray's hands in the midst of pulling Natsu's hair, Natsu with his fist raised to Gray's face. They both turned…and froze.

She was tall. Her bright red hair reached all the way down her back. She wore shiny metal armour with the Heart Kreuz insignia on it.

All of Heaven knew of her fearsome reputation as an enforcer and bringer of justice.

 _This…was the great Titania._


	19. Chapter 19

Gray and Natsu were seated at the kitchen table with their hands neatly folded in front of them, like school children in front of their teacher. Erza was pacing back and forth in front of them.

"You will explain why you were fighting," she said in an authoritative voice.

Both boys were silent. Erza was intimidating. She held her sword behind her head as she paced, giving them both death glares.

"SPEAK!" she yelled.

"It was nothing!" Natsu yelped.

"We were play fighting!" Gray exclaimed.

She stopped pacing, eyeing them both up and down.

"I see. And what is the status of your mission?"

"Lucy and Levy both have jobs. We're all friends and we are in the process of deciphering what makes them happy," Gray stated.

"Excellent," Erza said, "You know, Makarov and Mira were going to come themselves. I see it was good that something came up and they couldn't come."

Natsu and Gray exchanged glances.

"Because they would be sorely disappointed that you could tell a HALF TRUTH!" she thundered.

Both boys cringed, edging a bit closer to each other.

"I will be staying for a few days to observe you," Erza said, opening the fridge and scrunching up her nose at the lack of groceries in there, "I will find out the truth and you will take my suggestions on how to run this mission more effectively."

She slammed the fridge door.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes m'am!" both Gray and Natsu saluted.

"Excellent. Gray, be a dear and move your belongings to Natsu's room. I will require your bed."

Gray scrambled off to his bedroom.

"Natsu, please tell me about Lucy and Levy. Start from the beginning."

Natsu nodded, took a deep breath, and began to tell her what he knew, leaving out the developments from the night before and the fact that Gray and Levy were dating. He glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Lucy would be getting off work soon. So much for their first date.

He fidgeted.

"What is it?" Erza demanded.

"Lucy," he said, "She should be getting off work soon. I was supposed to pick her up."

Erza nodded, "We shall tell her a good reason tomorrow for your absence. Do not fear. I will handle it. Tonight, you and Gray are going to tell me everything."

Natsu sighed, trying to keep it quiet as he did so. Anxiety shot through his body.

 _Lucy…I'm sorry._

* * *

Tears trickled down Lucy's face as she realized he wasn't going to come. She had been off work for an hour now. Putting her hoodie up, she stepped out into the rainy night, heading for home.

* * *

Gray and Natsu were lying on the double bed – both as close to the edges of the bed as they could possibly get…as far away from each other as they could get.

"You're stealing the covers, Flame-Brain."

"Shut up, Ice Prick. This is _my_ bed. If you don't like it, go bunk on the couch."

Happy mewed from the pillow between them. It was almost like he was telling them both to shut up – he was trying to sleep.

"Look, Natsu," Gray said, "I'm sorry for freaking out on you, okay? But I think your dating stuff with Lucy is going to have to wait until Erza is gone."

"I know," Natsu said sadly, "She's going to be mad at me because I was a no show to pick her up from work. It might be over before it started."

Gray turned his head, able to pick out Natsu's miserable face even in the dark, "You really like her, don't you?"

Natsu nodded, "She's amazing. She's sweet and funny and so easy to be with. Most of all, she actually likes me for me. We have so much fun together. And I don't have to pretend around her. It's okay for me to make mistakes. I've never…had that before," he paused, "Is that how you feel about Levy?"

"Yeah," Gray said quietly. He wasn't about to elaborate. He had no idea how he felt about Levy. He knew she was beautiful and sweet and had an amazing head on her shoulders. He was attracted to her. But she wanted Gray to let Juvia go, knowing he and Juvia could never be together anyway. He didn't know if he could. Levy was right. It was wrong to ask her to settle for a one-night stand like he'd essentially done the other night. As long as he held onto his feelings for Juvia, that's all it could ever be between him and Levy.

Gray turned over onto his back, his arms behind his head, "I have a lot to tell you, Natsu. There's a lot you don't know."

Natsu turned his head, eyeing the other man. His face looked deep in contemplation.

"What if we started working together, Gray? Not just _tolerate_ each other, but actually _work_ together. Maybe if we coordinate our efforts, things will go smoother."

Gray was quiet as Natsu waited for the verbal assault.

Gray nodded finally, "I hate it to say it, Natsu, but I think so too. Look…I don't want this going to your head, but my opinion of you is changing. I don't think you're a _complete_ idiot. You're definitely an idiot, but maybe not as much as I thought."

Natsu wrinkled his nose. That made no sense. Did that mean he was a partial idiot?

"I won't call you names anymore," Gray said, "Not unless you know I'm joking. And we need to find a way to talk more. I have a lot to tell you, starting with what's really going on between me and Levy. Contrary to what you believe, I _have_ been working on our assignment."

Natsu nodded, "Thanks Gray. I'll try not to beat you up anymore."

Gray snickered, "Seriously? I offer you an olive branch and you go making up stories to boost your ego?"

"No…I appreciate your _olive branch_ ," Natsu was pleased he knew the expression…he didn't have to ask about it, "I'm telling you I'm ready to listen. I want to work together with you."

"That might not be so bad," Gray admitted.

"So how did your date _really_ go?" Natsu asked.

"I like her, but she knows I have a past I need to let go of first. We're going to continue to hang out and see where it goes. But that wasn't the reason we took off. We went to Crocus. You may have noticed by now that Levy and Lucy have a secret."

"I think they're being followed," Natsu said, nodding.

"They are. By an ex-boyfriend. Lucy inherited some keys from her mother to a storage house in Crocus. Levy...has another secret. She's an Angel too. She's Lucy's Guardian Angel. We've been working together for a few nights now. So when we went to Crocus, Levy and I actually went to see what was in the storage unit."

First, Gray had to explain what a Guardian Angel was. Then, Gray told Natsu about the gold bars and keepsakes. He had to explain why gold was valuable and what counterfeit was and why they had to check so many warehouses. Gray worked really hard to keep his patience from wearing thin. He had meant what he said...he wanted to work together _with_ Natsu. But if would be really nice if Natsu could a _few_ less questions. Nonetheless, Gray found himself starting to enjoy the conversation.

"Wow!" Natsu exclaimed when Gray had finished, "A lot of _that_ was unexpected. But it does give us a good place to start protecting Lucy. Gray…ex-boyfriend. Does that mean that at some point Lucy had 'special feelings' for him?"

Gray nodded, "Yeah. At one point, she thought she loved him, Natsu."

Natsu's face fell, a twinge of pain passing through it. Then, it slowly evolved to anger as he thought about what Dan had been putting her through.

"I'll kill him if he hurts her," Natsu seethed.

"Easy Dragon Boy. Levy and I are working on ways to find a peaceful resolution. Knowing the bars are fake, maybe we can remove the keepsakes, let him have the keys, and he'll just leave her alone."

Natsu nodded. A peaceful resolution was preferable.

"What I told you about Levy – it has to stay a secret, okay? It will devastate Lucy. Even after we've finished our mission and move on, Levy will stay with Lucy. She can't know."

"We'll be moving on?" Natsu repeated. Gray noted the sorrow that crossed Natsu's face.

"Natsu…" Gray rested his head on one elbow, making eye contact, "Don't fall in love with her…and don't let her fall in love with you. There's a reason Angels are forbidden to fall in love with their assignments. I wasn't trying to be mean before. You really _can't_ have a relationship with Lucy."

"But you and Levy like each other! Why can you date your assignment but I can't date mine?"

"Levy is an Angel," Gray said, "There is no rule about Angel and Angel. Besides, there's nothing real there yet."

"There's no way?"

Gray felt a twinge of anguish rush through him as he felt Natsu's pain. He knew what it was to love someone he couldn't have, "No Natsu. There's no way. That's not coming from me. It's not how things are done. Angels complete their assignments…and then they return to Heaven. Except for Guardian Angels. They get assigned for life."

Natsu fidgeted on his side of the bed, trying to process this new information.

"Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk. But it's mistake to get caught up in something with Lucy. You're going to have to push her toward someone else...that's our mission...to help her find happiness within herself, then push her to a good relationship where she can find love."

"Why can't it be me?" Natsu asked, his voice so quiet, Gray could barely hear him, "I would give up being an Angel in a heartbeat, Gray."

Natsu was quiet for a few minutes, tears pricking his eyes. Gray didn't know what to say to help him. That was an enormous statement.

Natsu was already falling in love with Lucy, Gray realized. This was not going to end well. Lucy would not be able to find her happiness if she fell in love with someone she couldn't have. And Natsu...he would experience the same excruciating heartache that Gray felt every single day for the past 5 years.

"I know, buddy," Gray said finally, "But giving up being an Angel isn't possible. If it were, I'd have done it a long time ago.

Silence fell through the room again.

"Hey Gray?" Natsu said after a long silence.

"Yeah."

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Sure, Natsu. What is it?"

"Can you put some clothes on while you're in bed with me? It's awkward enough as it is."

"Shut up, Natsu."

* * *

A shadow flitted from the room. NOW she knew the whole truth.


	20. Chapter 20

**Only 1 Chapter today. I'm quickly coming to the end of my pre-written chapters.**

 **It's definitely a lot harder to progress the story's chapters now that I'm back to work after vacation _and_ have my kids back from their dad' **

**BUT it's a doozy...**

Natsu was outside the apartment building when Lucy brought Plue out the next morning.

"Lucy," he said softly, stepping in front of her, "I'm so sorry."

"I really don't want to talk to you right now," she hissed, trying to step around him.

"Lucy, please! There's a good reason!"

She turned, crossing his arms expectantly.

"I…I…had a visitor last night," he said. Trying to invent a reason on the spot was going to be hard. She already knew he didn't have any family. How could he explain Erza?

"Who?" she said, the heat in her voice making Natsu cringe, "Know what? It doesn't matter. I know better than to trust people. Thanks for the fun, Natsu. Have a nice life."

"Lucy, please!" Natsu begged.

She whirled around, about to go off on him, when another voice chipped in.

"Hello – you must be Lucy!"

Erza was dressed in a blue sundress, a large hat on her head. She smiled, reaching down to pat Plue. She was sure a lot less scary looking this way!

Lucy looked at her up and down, "And you are?"

"Erza!" she exclaimed, sticking out her hand, "I'm Erza Scarlet! I'm Gray's cousin."

Natsu blinked. That was a good one. He never thought about using Gray. Lucy didn't know about Gray's family. Come to think of it, neither did he…other than that Lyon was his brother.

"So sorry about keeping Natsu from meeting you last night, Lucy…it was all my fault!" Erza gushed as she linked arms with Lucy and walked toward the apartment building, "Natsu, be a dear and throw Lucy's dog's business away."

"Umm," Lucy looked backwards to Natsu, who shrugged and took her paper towel from her to do as Erza said.

"We should do lunch to make it up," Erza was grinning ear-to-ear as Lucy opened the front doors of the apartment building to let them in, "I'll pay – I insist. Afterward, maybe we could do some shopping together and whatnot. I just _know_ we're going to be amazing friends."

"Okayyyyy," Lucy pulled away from Erza, a little daunted by her advances, "I'm going to get my mail before I go upstairs. I'll talk to you soon."

Moreover, Lucy wondered, why would Erza take such an interest in her? She was a neighbour...one Gray had only known a couple weeks.

Erza nodded, skipping her way to the elevator. Lucy and Natsu watched in awe.

"She's…intense."

"Yeah," Natsu agreed, "You have no idea. So I'm really, really sorry I didn't come get you last night…but I really, really couldn't get away from her."

Lucy nodded, "It's okay. I think I understand now."

They glanced at each other, slowly gravitating into a tight hug. They stood there, holding each other for a long moment. Natsu sniffed her hair, loving the scent.

"I really wanted to be with you last night," Natsu whispered into her hair, "I'm sorry, Luce. Please still want our date."

"I believe you," she whispered back, "And I still want our date. I...care about you, Natsu. As scary as Erza is, she's not enough to scare me from wanting to be with you."

She lifted her face, brushing his cheek with a tender kiss when she noted the anxiety in his eyes. Now that she was looking at him, Natsu was shaking. Actually shaking.

"Natsu..." she pulled him into a hug again, reassuring him, "It's okay. I still want our date."

"Maybe I can get away tonight," he melted into her arms.

She nodded, "Okay."

The elevator dinged. Natsu jumped back a foot from Lucy just as Erza stepped out, waving her arm, "Natsu dear! I need you to open the apartment for me! Gray is still sleeping."

He looked back at Lucy, his eyes lingering in hers for a moment, "I've gotta go."

She nodded again.

Natsu joined Erza in the elevator.

"Thank you, Erza."

"Don't thank me," Erza growled, "I told you last night I'd handle it and I did. I don't want you to blow your mission by ticking off your assignment!"

Natsu was still flushed and had a really hard time not fidgeting, "We're okay."

"Why are you picking her up at work anyway?"

"We're friends," Natsu shrugged, "Sometimes after work, we go do something fun."

Erza nodded, allowing the half-truth to go for now. She was biding her time before she called them on their lies. Did he really think Erza hadn't noticed Natsu jump 10 feet high when the elevator door opened? Ooooohh, but there would be hell to pay then.

She opened the apartment door, heading down the hall to Natsu's room.

"Gray! Get up!"

He groaned as she half-dragged him to the living room. Happy mewed as she pretty much threw Gray on the couch a little too close to him.

"What is that?" Erza asked.

"That's Happy," Natsu said, picking up the kitten and wrapping him in his arms protectively, "He's my kitten."

"He's adorable!" Erza gushed, grabbing Happy from Natsu and pretty much melting into a little puddle.

"I know, right? And he's so soft!" Natsu was grinning now, his earlier anxiety forgotten.

She made goo-goo eyes at Happy for about 5 minutes, then put Happy down and turned back to the boys.

"Now. What is your plan of action today?"

"Usually, we follow the girls to work and observe," Natsu said.

It was another half-truth. Natsu was pretty sure they'd only done it once…but he was afraid of telling Erza that.

"Very good. Gray, you'll follow Lucy today. Natsu, you follow Levy. I'll go between you."

"We usually do it the other way around," Gray interjected, "I follow Levy."

Erza eyed him, "And why is that?"

"I have a better friendship with Lucy," Natsu stated.

"I see," Erza stated, watching both Gray and Natsu's faces, "Then let's do it your way."

Gray breathed out a sigh of relief. The cover story of Gray and Levy being in a relationship could definitely not happen in front of Erza. Erza would murder him on the spot. He needed to get to Levy and tell her of the new developments ASAP. And then they needed to find a credible story to tell Lucy, who still believed they were dating, as to why they couldn't tell Erza about them. He wasn't even sure if Erza had figured out yet that Levy was a Guardian, although he didn't see why she couldn't know that. He really needed to corner Natsu again and find out what information Erza was able to drag out of him during Question Period.

Natsu was relieved because she wasn't pressing about Lucy.

Erza was starting to think it was a bit comical and wondered how far she could let them think they were getting away with it before she'd have to crack the whip.

"Fine," Erza said, "Then let's get going. Natsu, I'll go with you first."

* * *

Natsu and Erza sat in the shadows, watching Lucy. It was a regular day. Lucy hurried around, serving her tables with a smile. Juvia was working in the back again, so she would often head to the back to speak with her over various matters.

The door dinged. Lyon walked into the restaurant slowly, looking for Juvia.

Loke growled, but stepped away from Lyon. Lucy's eye was pretty close to normal again, but still had a bit of a dark tinge to it. He didn't want a repeat.

Juvia came out from the back to greet him, indicating a spot at the bar for him. The white-haired bartender, Lisanna, poured him a beer.

Erza was still watching Juvia.

"Who is that?" Erza whispered.

"That's the owner," Natsu replied. He didn't think he should divulge the truth. Gray had trusted him with it.

Erza glanced at him. Another half-truth.

"So we'll go after work," Lyon said.

Juvia nodded, "Yeah. That sounds good."

Lyon kissed her cheek and left the restaurant.

"Well, not much is happening here," Erza said, "I'm going to go catch up with Gray. Let me know if anything changes."

Natsu didn't miss the look in Erza's eyes though. She had definitely gotten _something_ out of her observations.

She was watching Juvia and Lyon and Natsu wondered what it was about her that had caught Erza's attention.

Natsu nodded and Erza flitted away. He glanced at Juvia. The woman looked troubled as she drowned in her own thoughts in a shot of rum. Lucy continued to serve her tables, blissfully unaware.

* * *

Gajeel had his arm pressed to the bookcase, effectively caging Levy in as he flirted with her, much to Gray's absolute annoyance.

When Gray had arrived earlier, he managed to get a moment with Levy to tell her the relationship thing was off…in front of Erza, anyway. Her eyes grew wide when he'd told her the Titannia had come and she agreed, she'd have to act natural. She had never actually met Erza face-to-face, being a Guardian Angel with a long-term mission, but she had heard the stories from various passing Angels over the years. They would definitely all have to be on their best behaviour. Plus, they'd have to keep up the dating story in front of Lucy if they wanted to use the story again. She was...less than happy about that. It pissed her off. It was like the dating cover story was a game to Gray more than a cover story. He wasn't willing to get busted by Erza, but wanted to pick up where they left off with it after Erza left...which would hopefully be extremely soon. Levy was showing her attitude toward the whole thing blatantly now.

He watched Levy blush as Gajeel played with Levy's hair, twisting it around his finger. She giggled lightly. He was telling her his plans for when he left the library...to pursue his career in architecture.

"Ahh," a voice said beside him, making Gray jump, "It seems we know who Levy's Cupid Arrow needs to hit."

"Erza, you really need to announce your presence better," Gray muttered, trying to keep from being rattled about her comment.

"Who is he?" Erza asked, ignoring his last comment.

"That's Gajeel Redfox. He's on probation for beating up a man several months back. His sentence is to work here for 3 months. He should be done probation by next week. Levy says he shouldn't have been charged since he was with his cousins at the time and they were the ones who did the beating. He even tried to stop them. She _says_ he's a great guy."

"Hmmm…" Erza said with interest. Her gaze wandered over to Freed, "And who's that?"

"That would be Freed – the Head Librarian and local cryptographer."

"Another love interest?" Erza asked.

"No," Gray shook his head, "His treatment of Gajeel bothers her. She has no interest in him other than career-wise. However, he could be the key to making Levy happy since Levy has an interest in cryptology."

Levy was giggling again at something Gajeel was saying, glancing up to the corner where Gray was none-too-discreetly.

"I can see he looks rough on the outside, but he's just a big baby on the inside," Erza smiled, romantic hearts appearing in her eyes, "We should just hit them with the Cupid Arrow right now!"

"That hasn't been established yet," Gray snapped, "And you know the rules…we can't shoot Cupid's arrow until the subject is happy with his or her own lives. That way, the new couple doesn't have baggage. Levy still has issues to resolve."

He gulped back the lump in his throat, thinking about both Levy and Juvia. Touché.

Erza pouted, "But it's so obvious they like each other! Look at them!"

Gray gave her a perplexed glare, willing himself to keep his temper intact. Between Gajeel flirting with Levy right in front of him, and Erza being happy about it, his brain had had just about enough. And there was the fact that Erza was acting like Gajeel and Levy were the most perfect couple for each other _ever_. She couldn't _wait_ to pair Levy and Gajeel. Obviously it hadn't dawned on her yet that Levy was a Guardian. Erza was as tough as they came, but when it came to making two people in love, apparently she went with the _shoot first, ask questions later_ theory.

* * *

Several hours later, both the girls were done with their shifts. Natsu, Erza and Gray were meeting up at the town square to walk Lucy home. Levy had already taken a cab.

"We haven't much to report," Erza said as they joined Natsu.

"Me neither," Natsu replied, "Just a normal, boring day for Lucy."

Gray was staring at the 8-Island. Anger was already coursing through his blood at Levy's attempts at making his jealous. He knew he was already in a bad...maybe _dangerous_ mood. This was not helping. Lyon was coming out of 8-Island with Juvia. He glanced at Natsu, ticking his head toward them. Natsu understood...he wanted to follow them.

Erza glanced over at the couple, opening her mouth to speak to Gray.

Natsu threw an arm around Erza, "Have you seen the local bakery here, Erza? They have the most amazing strawberry shortcake! Let's go have a piece."

Erza's eyes almost popped out of her head, "Indeed!"

"I'm not much for sweets," Gray said, "I'll meet you at home."

"Let's go visible and invite Lucy to come with us!" Natsu suggested. He winked at Gray.

"See ya later!" Gray called as they walked out of sight to meet Lucy.

He feigned walking for home for a minute, then hopped into the shadows and B-lined for Juvia and Lyon. He didn't know why they were together, but he intended to find out.

* * *

They walked slowly, joining hands as they came to the edge of town. Gray was growling and it was a good thing he was in _shadow_ mode because if he was in _transparency_ , he'd have decked Lyon by now. That was nerve…holding hands with _his_ woman.

A twang of guilt and Levy's face flashed through his mind. He shook it off and continued his quest.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lyon asked Juvia.

"Yes," she nodded, "It's the only way I can let go."

He took her hand and lead her inside a gate. Gray looked up. Above the gate was a large steel sign indicating "Cemetery."

He followed Juvia and Lyon inside the Cemetery, his insides twisting. He had a feeling he knew what they were doing there…and he was right. Gray wanted to throw up as he realized he was face to face with his own tombstone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 _GRAY FULLBUSTER_

 _DOB: February 12, X766_

 _Passed Away August 4, X784_

 _Love is Eternal, Let Me Light the Way_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Juvia bent down, placing fresh flowers on the grave. Lyon stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder.

"Gray," Juvia said in a shaky voice, "I need you to know that I love you. And I always will. You still plague my dreams every night. But it's been 5 years now. I have to let you go. I know you wouldn't approve of this," she started to cry, "But I love Lyon. Please forgive us. I never wanted what happened to you...to occur. I swear to you…" her tears took over, her body shaking with sobs, "It just _happened."_

She reached in her pocked for a Kleenex, wiping her tears, then blowing her nose befor continuing, "But if you hadn't been hit by the truck…if you were still alive now…I don't know if things would be different. I think I'd still love Lyon. Please forgive us. Give us your blessing."

Gray's mouth fell open.

 _I don't know if things would be different. I think I'd still love Lyon. Give us your blessing._

Gray felt a stabbing in his heart. He let out a roar, his body teaming with rage. In the shadows, Lyon and Juvia wouldn't hear his painful scream. But the birds did. A bunch of birds took off into the sky.

"Hi Big Brother," Lyon said, holding Juvia's sobbing figure to him, "I want to say I'm sorry too. We both know Juvia is an amazing woman."

" _HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME?"_ Gray screamed, " _YOU STOLE HER FROM ME IN MY OWN HOUSE, YOU PATHETIC, LYING BASTARD! YOU SLEPT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AND THEN YOU KILLED ME!"_

"I promise I'll take care of her," Lyon continued, "I'm sorry. I really wanted to be good brother to you."

" _THAT'S SUCH A CROC!"_ Gray bellowed. He flitted out of the shadows, slipping into _transparency_ and started ripping branches off nearby trees, chucking them at Juvia and Lyon, turning them into a barrage of spiky missile-like weapons. In shadow form, he moved much quicker than real-time and was able to break branches at an alarming rate. The barrage would be deadly if he actually meant to hit them. He might have tried for Lyon, but Juvia was right beside him.

Juvia screamed. Lyon grabbed her hand as they ran from the cemetery.

Gray fell to his knees, his own sobs wracking his body.

"I don't understand," he cried out, "I _loved_ you. I gave you my life. _You_ were my life…And you betrayed me…how can you want to be with the man who killed his own brother – the one you loved?"

He stayed there for a long time, knowing he was putting Natsu in a horrible position, having to deal with Erza. But his anguish prevented him from moving. Juvia wanted his blessing. How could he give his blessing? He'd already given her everything he had…even his life.


	21. Chapter 21

"Lucy, you have amazing taste…this strawberry shortcake is unbelievable!" Erza gushed.

Natsu frowned. The bakery had been _his_ idea.

Erza was on her third piece. It had been suggested that supper would be a good idea, but Erza insisted strawberry shortcake was akin to a well-balanced supper and it would suffice just fine.

Lucy giggled. She liked Erza when she was like this. She was a lot like Natsu in a way, experiencing some things like it was her first time. She had been completely blown away when Lucy suggested a chai tea upon their arrival at the bakery. Erza drank it back like she was drinking the nectar of the gods.

"So you're Gray's cousin?" Lucy asked.

Erza nodded, "Our dads were brothers. Well, foster-brothers to be fair."

Natsu glanced out on the street. He really thought Gray would have joined them by now.

"So you knew Gray as a child then…was he always so _serious?"_

Erza laughed, a booming, joyful laugh. Lucy backed up a little closer to Natsu, finding his hand underneath the table. They interlaced their fingers. Lucy's foot was wrapped around Natsu's left leg. He was having a hard time sitting still with the contact and he really wished Erza would _go away_ and let him have his date with Lucy.

"Gray was a little brat!" Erza exclaimed, "And I admit at times I was his ring leader! We used to get into all sorts of trouble! There were four of us, if you include Mirajane and Elfman. And we all lived together in a large house with man called Makarov."

Natsu furrowed his eyebrow, wondering how much of this story was true.

"What happened to your parents?" Lucy asked.

"I never had a mother. She died when I was very young. Our dads were both killed in a hunting accident," Erza said, "There was an mudslide from too much rain and they couldn't outrun it. They didn't stand a chance."

"That's so sad," Lucy said softly.

"And what about you, my dear?" Erza asked, "Tell me about yourself. What was your childhood like?"

Lucy regarded the older woman. She was kind of freaky in a way. Her emotions changed faster than Gray could take off his clothes. One minute, she was calm, the next she was excited or passionate about something and/or yelling.

Lucy couldn't deny her beauty. The woman was stunning, with her red hair flowing down her back and her big brown eyes. She also had a…quality about her that made you tell her more than you were planning to divulge. She had an interesting way of drawing information out of people. She was incredibly intimidating, despite her pretty appearance.

"I grew up in a mansion," Lucy said softly, "My mother left me when I was young too. She died when I was 8."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Erza said, reaching across the table.

Lucy shook Natsu's fingers off and grabbed Erza's quickly. Natsu fought the urge to throw a hissy fit about it. He had Lucy's hand first.

"But your father…he was still there for you!"

Lucy looked very uncomfortable now. She squirmed a bit, removing her hand from Erza's.

"No," she stated, "My father didn't want anything to do with me. I reminded him too much of my mother."

Erza nodded and Natsu wondered just how far she intended to push Lucy. He didn't like Lucy's expression. He wanted to tell Erza to stop _nudging,_ but Erza was on a roll now.

"That's horrible! I'm so sorry to hear that!" Erza took another drink of her chai tea, "And what about now? Are things better for you now? What are your career ambitions? Got a boyfriend?"

Lucy shot Natsu a look for help. He couldn't think of a single other topic to bring up to divert the conversation…so he stood up, his knees hitting the edge of the table forcefully.

The entire table flipped over, crashing the contents onto the ground. Everyone at the café glanced up. Staff started hurrying over to help clean up the mess.

"Oops," Natsu said loudly, "I'm so sorry – I was just trying to get up to use the bathroom!"

"It's fine," one of the staff said, "These are light tables. Not the first time it's happened."

Erza was glaring at Natsu as he stooped to pick up the remnants of her cake.

Lucy was wide-eyed, noting the tension between them.

They paid their bill at that time and headed back to the apartment in silence.

* * *

Levy watched Gray from the shadows. She'd seen him in the shadows, darting over the railing of his balcony moments ago. That was unusual. He always walked through the front doors of the building.

He was in Natsu's bedroom, shaking as he curled up on the bed. He was fighting sobs.

She was fighting with herself over whether to appear to him. Her heart was breaking for him right then and she didn't think he'd deny her company, even after the way she had treated him earlier at the library. He needed the comfort. It was obvious something had happened with Juvia. It was the only explanation for his complete brokenness. The tension between them could wait. Right now, Gray needed a friend.

"Gray?" she asked as she appeared in solid form, "Are you okay?"

He wasn't. She knew that before he glanced up at her, the pain and anguish in his eyes causing her to take a deep breath and step closer.

"I'm fine," he whispered, sitting up on the bed. He watched her carefully as she rounded the bed, sitting beside him.

"Liar," she teased. Her face turned serious, "We're friends, Gray. No matter what else has happened lately, I'm your friend first. I'll listen to you if you want to talk about it."

He shook his head, "I _can't_. Not right now. Not with you."

"Then let me hug you, Gray. You don't have to tell me anything. Just let me hug you so that you know you're not alone."

She didn't wait for permission. She leaned forward, placing her head on his chest. She wrapped her arms around his torso.

He returned the hug loosely, then, despite himself held her closer, the tears returning and cascading down his face.

"I lost it, Levy," he confided, "I lost my temper. I have never wanted to hurt anyone like I wanted to hurt them at that moment."

She realized she had relaxed her hold on him. It was him grasping her, almost to the point of hurting her. She knew that wasn't his intention. Gray was...distraught.

His desperate sobs filled the room, "I didn't do it, Levy! I didn't actually hurt them. But the fact that I _wanted to_..."

"Gray," she whispered, pushing him back a bit so she could see his face, "Please. Tell me what happened."

"I can't," he choked.

She heard the front door open. Natsu, Erza and possibly Lucy were home.

So far, she'd managed to avoid Erza, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before she'd have to face her too. Gray was in no condition to face her, that much she knew.

"I'll keep her off your back," she whispered, standing up and kissing the top of his head, "We'll talk later. I'm sorry, Gray. I wish I could be of more help."

He nodded as she flitted back into _shadow_ form and disappeared out of the room.

* * *

"That was a stupid stunt you pulled," Erza said, glaring into Natsu's face.

"You were hurting her," Natsu said in a small voice, "She was uncomfortable and anxious. You were pushing too hard."

"How else are we going to determine what's going on with her?" Erza demanded.

"W-We talk to her. We gain her trust," Natsu stuttered, "It's what we've been doing all along. And we've learned a lot about both Lucy and Levy that way."

Erza scoffed, picking up a game controller from the middle of the floor and tossing it onto the couch, "You aren't here to be her friend. You are here to find a way to mend her life. And I really don't know what to make of Gray. It seems he's not contributing anything to this mission at all."

"Berating her the way you just did is _not going to accomplish that!"_ Natsu snapped, _"_ And Gray is a good partner. He may have his attitude, but he's been working really hard!And we're learning how to work together! You have to trust both Gray and I! We are getting through to Lucy and Levy! And we will FIND a way to complete our mission!" Natsu's eyes widened in fear as he realized his voice had been steadily increasing to a shout. He cursed himself. He had just yelled at the Titania. _THE Titania_.

Erza smiled, sitting down on the couch, "There you are, Natsu," she said, "That's what I was looking for."

He was confused…completely and utterly confused.

Erza was still smiling as Natsu waited for his impending death…um, re-death. _He had yelled at Erza!_ But Erza's smile was genuine, it seemed. There was nothing behind it. She didn't start yelling…nothing. In fact, she was sitting in the chair across from him with a smirk on her face. A smirk?

 _Erza was nudging me._

"I don't understand," Natsu said, sitting in the armchair.

"You care for Lucy," Erza said simply, "And you're coming to her defense without a second thought. You protected her when she was getting uncomfortable _because_ you care so deeply. Most of all, you and Gray are starting to understand what it is to work together."

Natsu was still confused.

"I'm not here to take over your mission," Erza continued, "I'm here to determine if you'll get the job done. You can't imagine the talk throughout Heaven right now…the _Angel of Oops_ taking on a mission that involves deep matters of the heart. With the Ice Prince himself, no less. There's even a betting pool started as to the date where you both return unsuccessful. We're playing for chocolate. I am satisfied now that you're taking it seriously. More than that, I'm satisfied that you and Gray have started a deep, meaningful friendship. I'm going to put my bet on a successful mission. I'll be eating chocolate-dipped strawberries for months."

Natsu's mouth dropped open. A deep, meaningful friendship? With Gray? He knew they were on better terms, but could he hope that Gray could be a real friend too?

"I will observe for another few days," Erza said.

Natsu nodded, his respect for the fearsome woman in front of him skyrocketing. From the shadows, Levy felt her respect for both of them soar too.

"You were testing me," he said in awe, "Last night…the threats…the interrogation…pushing Lucy…it was all a set up."

Erza nodded.

"Not everyone believes that you're incapable of everything, Natsu," Erza said, "I think the bigger problem is that no one really ever gave you a proper chance to learn. They pulled you out of missions as fast as you went in, not really giving you a chance to adapt or fix your mistakes."

She paused, tilting her head, "Of course…there were some mistakes that really could not be fixed…actually, a lot…but the _POINT_ is, you weren't given a chance. The other thing is, I think you do _better_ with matters of the heart. It takes a pure heart to see the matters that lie beneath. In just a short time, you've broken the barriers Lucy and Levy put up and became real friends with them. You've done well, _Angel of Oops._ "

Natsu was completely dumbfounded and speechless.

"Now," Erza said, patting the sofa cushion beside her, "How about you tell me the entire truth about what's going on? Keeping in mind, I have my ways of knowing when you're lying to me."

Natsu froze.

Happy mewed to get up on the sofa too. Erza bent and picked him up, rubbing his adorable little ears. Natsu was swallowing a large lump in his throat.

"W-what do you want to know?" he stuttered.

"It's okay, Natsu," Erza looked straight into his eyes, "That was a joke. Even though I know you're not telling me the whole truth, you can be assured, I've already figured it out. You will tell me everything eventually. Rest assured, I'm not done calling you and Gray out on your lies yet. Nonetheless, I have…a different mission."

Natsu shivered.

"So," Natsu said, gulping back the lump in his throat, "If you're not here to help us with our mission, what's your mission?"

She smiled, "I'm not here to help you with your mission because _you_ are my mission."

Natsu was confused again.

"Firstly, I was sent here to determine if you and Gray were capable of completing your mission," she said slowly so Natsu could keep up, "But the second part of my mission is to help you and Gray personally. You're gaining social experience and your mistakes are decreasing. Still there, but definitely on the decrease. There are some 'things' we will need to talk about. But Gray…he hurts so badly. And he will need to be my top priority for the moment. It's not easy to be conflicted between two beautiful women. One he can never have, the other unforbidden but still out of reach."

Levy glanced toward the bedroom from the shadows. Erza _knew_.

"You can come out now, Levy," Erza called.

Levy froze. Gray had said the night before that he hadn't divulged Levy's secret. Neither had Natsu.

" _Unshadow."_

Levy appeared, offering her hand to Erza as a welcome.

"How did you know?" Natsu asked, eyes wide, "Gray and I didn't tell you!"

"I think you'll find I know pretty much all of what you do," Erza said, "Levy, all I'm going to say to you at this point is that you've done well protecting Lucy all this time. You have no reason to feel bad about being unable to do it alone."

Levy had been beating herself up for years, feeling so inadequate as Lucy's Guardian. Her words were relieving. There were times Levy thought Heaven had completely abandon her. Gray and Natsu had been Godsends...literally.

This Erza wasn't intimidating at all, yet she still reflected the strength the rumours always implied.

"He's in his room, right?" Erza said to Levy.

Levy nodded slowly. If Erza was that perceptive, she might be the only person Gray could talk to, even though Levy had said she'd deter Erza from him.

Erza got up from the couch, disappearing down the hall.

"How does she do that?" Natsu asked in absolute wonder, "She's been here for a day and she already has us pegged!"

Levy was still staring down the hall after her, "I wish I knew, Natsu. But it seems she's gotten a reputation as the _Titania_ for a reason."

"GRAY! GET UP! YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!" They heard Erza thunder.

Natsu and Levy exchanged glances. Point and case.

A second later, she was dragging Gray down the hall and out the door, slamming it firmly behind them.

Natsu and Levy exchanged glances again, feeling nothing but pity for poor Gray.

"Go. Be with Lucy," Levy suggested, "They won't be gone long. And I have a feeling Erza is going to call an Angel's meeting."

Oh yeah! Erza was out of the apartment and now Natsu had a golden opportunity. He realized Lucy must have said something to Levy. And for some reason, she wasn't going to lecture him about how wrong it was since Lucy was a human and Natsu was an Angel. Thanking her, Natsu left the apartment.


	22. Chapter 22

Erza and Gray were strolling along the beach slowly. Neither were saying much after she finished telling him the real purpose behind her mission. The sunset was glowing.

"I can't imagine how it must have felt to see her again," Erza said finally.

Gray nodded, but said nothing.

Erza looked at Gray, "I'm pretty sure no one in Heaven saw that coming. It was a cruel twist of fate that your assignment would be _her_ employee."

Gray still said nothing, staring straight ahead as he walked.

"Gray…what happened?"

"Quit _nudging_ me, Erza. It's not going to work."

She sighed and stopped walking, "Then sit with me. Tell me what happened."

They sat on the beach together, watching the waves roll in. Soon it would be high tide.

Gray didn't speak. He couldn't find the words. Of all the people in Heaven they could have sent to check up on him and Natsu, why did it have to be Erza? She was one of the closest Angels to him, having grown up with him. As cousins, they spent a lot of time together as children. They had both died young. Erza had died when she was 13 in an accident. She and another girl, Ultear, were camping with a group from school without permission from their parents. They had taken a boat out onto the water to waterski. Ultear, being inexperienced with a boat at the tender age of 13, had turned the boat too sharply and Erza, who was on skis, collided with a dock. She died instantly.

"You know, after I died, I was assigned to you for awhile as your Guardian," she said softly, "I was there when everything happened."

Gray nodded. He knew. When he got to Heaven, he'd found out she'd been his Guardian until his death. It was an odd realization…that his cousin was his Guardian.

"I...tried, Gray. I saw what was going to happen. I tried to push you out of the way, but I didn't get there in time," her voice choked, "I failed. In a way, what happened to you also sculpted how I changed. I promised myself I would not fail again."

He took a deep breath, but nothing came out.

"So start with what happened today, Gray."

Gray was still trying to form words. It was like he'd forgotten how to speak.

"I know it's hard," Erza said softly, "You might remember I died prematurely too and lost the love of my life."

"Jellal," Gray said, remembering when Erza passed away. At her funeral, Jellal had been devastated. He couldn't even look at Ultear.

"I can only imagine how I'd feel if I came across him now. I know he's with Ultear. It hurts just to think about it. To _see_ it would be more brutal than I could imagine."

"It's not the same," Gray held his head between his knees, "He's my _brother_. I was so in love with her. It wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to be able to grow old with her."

"I know," Erza said sympathetically.

"You _nudged_ me," Gray said flatly.

"You need to talk to someone," Erza told him, "Might as well talk to me. If you volunteer the information, which I likely already know, I won't _nudge_ you again. Okay?"

"I think the worst part…" Gray said slowly, deciding that ultimately Erza was going to pull the information from him anyway. He might as volunteer it. _Damnit! She'd done it again_! "…the worst part was when I watched them at the grave site. Juvia said she didn't know if she would be with me if I was still alive. She still would have chosen Lyon."

Erza cringed. That was really, really harsh.

"But you can't have her now. Reality has changed. Reality is that you're now an Angel of Heaven," Erza reminded him gently, "So for her own benefit, if you _really_ still love her…you have to forgive them both and let her go. Otherwise, you are denying her a life where she can know love. You won't be able to move on in your duties until you do."

Gray contemplated her words, fighting back angry tears.

"I didn't do anything wrong, Erza. Why am I the one who's dead? Lyon pushed me…and he gets to have my Juvia and _I'm_ the one who has to let go," his voice was wavering as he fought to compose himself.

"It's not fair…but you're going to be fine," she soothed, "Love is not forbidden between Angels. Once you move on, it might be possible for you to find it again."

She pulled him into her shoulder as his tearful face indicated a break down was imminent.

"I can't do it, Erza! I can't forgive them. This isn't how things are supposed to be!"

Gray felt the tears he'd been holding back start to escape. He sniffed them back.

"I know, Gray," Erza's eyes filled with tears as she held her friend/cousin, "If I could take the pain from you, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I can't take the pain from you any more than I can take care of this problem for you. This is something you have to decide and do freely of your own will…because you want what's best for Juvia."

Gray couldn't talk anymore. He felt like he was hyperventilating. His tears wracked his body so hard that he shook and he couldn't seem to get a hold of himself.

She held him closer, remembering her own lost love. There was nothing fair about it. But life wasn't fair. It was the toughest lesson for anyone – Angel or human – to learn.

* * *

Lucy and Natsu started for the beach, but seeing that Erza and Gray were there, they diverted, heading for the park instead.

"How much time do you have?" Lucy asked as they spread a blanket on the ground together.

"Enough to get a quick picnic in," he promised, presenting her with a basket of watermelon and finger sandwiches, "I ran to the store probably the fastest I've ever run…like ever."

She laughed, "Erza is definitely…intense."

"She's a good person," Natsu said, pouring her some juice while she distributed their food, "She means well."

"Still, I've never been so happy as the moment you flipped that table," Lucy admitted.

He smiled as she kissed his cheek, "Hmm…I might never get used to that. I still can't believe you _like_ me."

"We're going to work on your self-confidence, Natsu," Lucy said, kissing him on the lips now, "You can't believe I would want something with you, but I can't believe I get to have something with you either. You sell yourself too short."

"I sell myself?"

She laughed, "It means you don't give yourself enough credit."

"Credit?" he asked. He broke out into a goofy grin, "Just kidding."

She laughed. There was a new light in her eyes today. Natsu was enamoured with her smile. She was just so beautiful!

"One day you won't have to explain things to me anymore."

"I hope I always have to explain things to you," she giggled, "It's cute and endearing."

Natsu settled into eating his sandwiches and watermelon quietly.

 _You can't HAVE a relationship with Lucy._

It was forbidden. He knew that, but he still craved it. Every fibre of his being felt right with Lucy. And she was happy – so what was the problem?

"What are you thinking about that's got that silly look on your face?" Lucy asked between bites of her sandwich.

"Nothing," Natsu said, leaning over to kiss her lips quickly, "I'm just thinking about how happy I am."

She grinned at him, "Me too, Natsu. I haven't known you long…but I think you could be the best thing that ever happened to me. Just don't go anywhere, okay?"

He felt a pang of guilt.

"Not as long as I can help it," he promised.

* * *

Gray and Erza watched Lyon and Juvia walk hand in hand toward her apartment. They had left the beach to go find them, despite Gray's protests.

"I can't do it," Gray said, "Not when he's there."

"That's part of it, Gray," Erza said, "You need to forgive them both."

He shook his head, "I can't, Erza. I just can't."

Lyon and Juvia stood outside of the apartment building, kissing passionately. Juvia hands were on his chest, keeping him slightly away from her body. She kept the kisses short.

"You're sure I can't come in?" Lyon said in a teasing voice.

"No," Juvia said, "It still doesn't feel right. I'm trying, Lyon, but it isn't getting easier."

He hugged her tenderly, planting a kiss on her forehead, "And I meant it when I told you I'd wait for you. I've already waited 5 years…another couple months can't hurt."

Gray gagged. Erza elbowed him, giving him a stern look.

"I know…what happened was awful. I lost my brother that day too. But don't you think he'd want us to be happy?"

Gray got up, turning to leave the scene. He couldn't stomach watching anymore. Erza elbowed him in the stomach and grabbed his face, pointing it toward Juvia and Lyon, forcing him to watch.

"That's just it," Juvia said, sighing, "I can't help the feeling that says he _wouldn't_ be happy about it. Maybe…maybe I was right before. Maybe it was a mistake to give us a chance. Maybe I _can't_ be with you. There's so many other men out in the world that wouldn't be a direct betrayal. I'm sorry, Lyon."

Lyon kicked his feet against the ground as he contemplated what she said, "So that's it then? You're telling me I don't have a chance with you anymore?"

She nodded solemnly.

"I'm sorry too, Juves. We've both had our share of guilt over what happened. But we can't change the past. And we can't change the fact that we love each other. No amount of guilt in the world is going to change that. You're giving up something amazing because of a dead man that still haunts your dreams. It's not like he's here to stop us, so really, this is on _you._ "

He turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Juvia to dissolve into tears.

Inwardly, Gray cheered. But then he saw Juvia's face as she collapsed to her knees, sobbing, a hand extended out in the direction Lyon had taken off.

"She loves him," Erza said, "Or she wouldn't be having such a hard time letting him go."

"Shut up, Erza."

Erza shot him a warning look. It was not a good idea to tell her to shut up.

Gray was at a crossroads. He knew what the right thing to do was. What he didn't know was if his own heart could handle it.

"I need to do this alone," he said quietly.

"I know," Erza put a hand on his shoulder, "I'll see you back at the apartment."

Gray took a deep breath. Juvia was getting off the pavement, walking slowly to her door to let herself in. He shuddered, emotional turmoil swirling through his body. He followed inside the apartment through the shadows, the apartment doors closing and locking behind them.

* * *

Erza arrived back at the apartment just as it was starting to get dark. She was not surprised that no one was there. She knocked on the apartment next door. Plue barked, but there was no movement inside. Everyone was out.

She knew Lucy and Natsu would seize the moment as an opportunity to disappear somewhere together. They were completely pathetic in their attempts to hide their new-found love together. For one thing, the _Angel of Oops_ had far from mastered his ability to be discreet with his love-sick gazes whenever Lucy was around. Lucy did better at hiding her emotions in front of others, but she flushed too easily whenever she told a lie.

Erza also knew something was happening between Gray and Levy. But Gray still loved Juvia and Levy had a bit of a crush on that Gajeel gentleman. She shook her head. A love square. She would have thought the bunch of them were all hormonal teenagers if she didn't know for a fact that they were all in their 20's.

Erza had listened very carefully to Natsu and Gray's conversation that first night when they laid in bed. She was well aware that whatever she had walked in on between Natsu and Gray when she arrived was now only better because they were both scared shitless of her and vowed to work together. She also now knew about the storage locker and the gold bars as well as the ex-boyfriend who stalked Lucy for them. This concerned her. Heaven had _not_ been aware of these details. Nor that Levy was a Guardian. That had been news as well. She was glad that Gray and Levy were investigating the storage locker, but she supposed her arrival was detrimental to Gray's plan of stalking Dan and knowing his whereabouts before he could find Lucy and Levy again. She would need to find a way to subtly tell Gray to get going on that, without appearing to know about anything.

She knew that Gray was out trying to rectify his past right now and assumed that Natsu and Lucy were together. But she didn't know where Levy was. She picked up a mewing Happy and patted him on the head.

"Your new home is full of drama, Happy. I don't know if any of them understand the word 'consequences'. And I don't know if I can prevent a disaster either. What do you think? Should I try to keep Lucy and Natsu apart? Should I push Gray and Levy?"

Happy mewed to be put down and she obliged. He mewed again…for no reason. She grabbed some wet food and put down for him, the kitten eating greedily in seconds.

"You're right, Happy! It _is_ the first time Natsu has been genuinely happy. It is a pleasant surprise considering I thought I'd come in to everyone being miserable. But he's headed for heartbreak and he's going to take Lucy down with him. Gray will resolve his issues with Juvia tonight if all goes well, but he's not okay yet. It's going to take awhile. And Levy...she's trying to hold everything together. And unless I do something, they'll all be irreparably damaged."


	23. Chapter 23

Natsu and Lucy were lying blissfully on the picnic blanket. Natsu was lying on his side. Lucy was lying down beside him, facing him. They were holding hands, playing with each other's fingers.

"I don't want to leave," she said softly, "I love being here with you."

"It wasn't the first date I wanted," Natsu said, "but I figured anything was better than nothing."

She grabbed his wrist and kissed his palm, "It was perfect. Thank you, Natsu. You put a lot of thought into this. To me, it was perfect. The only thing I could wish for more of is time."

He smiled. He really _didn't_ put a lot of thought into it. He knew they didn't have time for a restaurant and he wanted to be alone with her anyway. This was the best idea he could come up with.

He sighed, "Erza will be back at the apartment by now. I'm sure I'll hear all about it if we don't go."

She sat up and waited until he did the same so she could wrap her arms around his waist, drawing him in for a hug. He enveloped her with his large arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. They stayed like that for a moment.

"You really do give the _best_ hugs, Natsu," she said softly.

"Do you work tomorrow?"

She nodded, "Until the weekend."

"But that's 3 more days!" he whined.

She laughed lightly, "We'll find another moment somewhere. You watch. I'm sure the universe couldn't be that cruel to keep us apart forever."

Natsu gulped again, hit hard with the magnitude of her words for the second time. She had no idea what she just said…what she had now repeatedly said. The universe _was_ that cruel.

It was beginning to weigh very heavily on him. He knew spending time with Lucy was a bad thing. But he couldn't stop the feelings he had for her even if he told her he couldn't see her anymore. He wanted this. He wanted Lucy. Was it so bad for him to be selfish…just this once?

"You're acting strangely tonight," she ran a finger down his shoulder blade, "What's wrong?"

"I'm good," he promised. He sat up on his knees, stretching, "I just don't want to leave either."

"Then let's stay a few more minutes," Lucy said softly, running her fingers through his hair, "Can I kiss you without you fainting, Natsu Dragneel?"

He snickered, "Probably not. You make me pretty weak in the knees."

"Do you mind if I try?"

"Not at all, Ms. Heartfilia. Please give it your best try."

He brushed his lips against hers gently, feeling that delicious tingling feeling take over his body. In that moment, there was only the two of them in the entire world.

* * *

Levy moved through the shadows quickly. She didn't have much time. She knew that her friends would all be returning to the apartments soon, so if she was going to do this, she needed to do it now. In the long run, Gray would appreciate her efforts to lessen his search for Dan.

She slipped into the Police Department quietly, careful to avoid hitting anything as she slipped into _transparency._ The building was bustling with activity as she found an empty office with an open door. Watching to make sure no one was coming, she brought the computer up and started working her magic to hack it.

Over the years, Levy had become desperate to know Dan's whereabouts. It was getting increasingly hard to protect Lucy. It was through sheer luck that she met a friend of hers from Heaven - Evergreen. Evergreen happened to work in a police station. Before she knew it, Levy had found herself confiding in Evergreen, telling her the whole story about Dan and how Lucy and Levy had to stay on the run. Evergreen went to her mission supervisors, who had arranged for Levy to learn from Evergreen: how to hack tracking files, where to look for the information she needed, and then erase the evidence of her snooping. Evergreen and her Angel superiors also informed Heaven of Lucy and Levy's precarious position. She wondered if this is how her name got into the Cupid Mission Log.

She ran Dan Straight's name into the database, looking for credit and debit card hits and hotel registries. The list came up and she scanned it quickly.

"Debit transaction: Onibus Shell Station. Onibus Motor Inn. Onibus General Store. Onibus Family Diner," she whispered to herself, reading as fast as she could.

Onibus was the next town over from Magnolia. Dan was narrowing down their location again, but it looked like he hadn't moved on to Magnolia. Yet.

She shut the computer down, letting out a sigh of relief, then stayed perfectly still as a person walked right by the office. Flitting to the shadows, she made her way out of the station.

She almost ran straight into him. _Thank goodness_ she was in the shadow and he wouldn't have noticed her presence. Glancing up, she watched his pierced face scowl as he entered the Police Station.

She hummed and hawed with herself. Curiosity was eating at her. What was Gajeel doing voluntarily at the Police Station? Biting her lower lip, Levy turned and followed him in. It was against her better judgement, but she was curious.

He sat in an office with two other men: one with dark hair, the other blonde.

"So? Ready to be off 'probation'?" the dark haired man asked.

Gajeel rolled his eyes, "Sooner the better. That Freed guy is such a stuck-up tightwad. The only thing that makes staking out the library tolerable is that little girl he's got hired to watch the front."

Levy's mouth dropped open.

"But you got a good look at the office?" the blonde haired man pressed.

"He's clean," Gajeel said, "Freed isn't part of the part of the ring."

The dark haired man shook his head, "Crazy idea...using libraries to circulate drugs. Good job, constable. Guess you'll be heading back to Crocus soon then?"

"Yeah," Gajeel said, "I have to finish my probation first though, I guess. You could always pose as my parole officers and come get me off the hook."

"Naw," the blonde haired man teased, "It's only a couple more days. Pretty sure you'll manage."

"Jerks. Night Sting...Rogue."

Levy was in shock as Gajeel walked out the door. _Gajeel was a_ _cop_.

She willed herself to keep moving. When she got outside, Gajeel was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Gray watched Juvia get ready for bed, turning away as she got her nightgown on. Other nights that he had watched her, he didn't turn away. But tonight, he was there to let her go, which meant she no longer belonged to him and it was wrong to watch her.

Tears were already streaming down his face long before she slipped between the covers to go to sleep. This was the single hardest thing he'd ever have to do. But he knew he had to do it.

She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep between sudden bursts of sobbing. She was in obvious turmoil too.

She sat up in bed, propping the pillows behind her back and sighed heavily. She grabbed her cell phone, selecting Lyon's number and tried to text him, but she kept erasing the messages before hitting send.

" _I don't know what to do!"_ she screamed, "Why? Of all the people in the world – why did it have to be Lyon?"

She collapsed on the bed again, heaving sobs shaking it.

"I'm sorry, Lyon," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

She sobbed for a few more minutes. Gray's tears fell in time with hers. They were perfectly synced. It seemed like that's how it was when they were together too. They fit so perfectly. They complimented each other. They loved all the same things. They watched the same TV shows. They both wanted the restaurant of Juvia's dreams.

Lyon didn't fit with them the way Juvia and Gray fit together. He was bull-headed and hard to get along with sometimes. It was difficult to win a fight with him when he thought he was right. He had a potty mouth that never quit. He couldn't keep a secret. He was brash in his mannerism most of the time. He didn't cook or do anything really around the house, or at least when Gray lived with him that was true.

Gray just could not wrap his head around what Juvia could see in Lyon. Gray and Lyon were complete opposites in every way.

"Oh," he said audibly, jumping at the sound of his own voice. He panicked, hoping Juvia hadn't heard, then realized with relief that Juvia couldn't hear him since he was in the shadows.

 _That_ was what drew Juvia to Lyon. Lyon and Gray were complete opposites. While Juvia and Gray had never fought, Juvia also didn't contest anything Gray ever said. Yet even over his recent observations, he'd seen Juvia challenge Lyon more than once. Now that he thought about it, Juvia did everything Gray wanted to do. She laughed when he laughed…was quiet when he was quiet… And she was always doing everything for him. She made him feel like the King of his Castle. He remembered times of Juvia trying to tell him something…but his news was always bigger and he often told her to let him go first. Sometimes Juvia never got to finish her thought.

Lyon had called him selfish during their fight. He said Gray didn't consider what Juvia's needs were. Was it true?

Had Juvia's compliance been Juvia's way of making them compatible? At the time that Juvia ended up in bed with Lyon, was it because she'd realized that Lyon genuinely listened to her whereas Gray just assumed she agreed with him?

It hurt. Gray was glad he was in the shadows because he could scream as loudly as he wanted to. He let out a feral cry, hitting the wall repeatedly until he collapsed, exhausted.

Glancing back at the bed, he realized Juvia had finally fallen asleep.

He was ready now.

He went into _transparency,_ approaching Juvia for the last time.

 _Whisper._

 _Presence._

Juvia stirred, a single tear rolling down her cheek as he sat down on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Juvia," he said, stroking her cheek with a finger, "I didn't realize until just now what a jerk I was. We both wanted our relationship to work so badly. You followed me around for years, waiting to be with me. And when you finally got the chance, you molded yourself into what you thought I wanted. And I let you. I just needed someone to love me for who I was. Instead, I think I made you into someone that fit my idea of someone who could love me."

Tears rolled down his face. He sniffed them back, choking on them a little.

"And I loved you," he choked out, "I loved you so much. Seeing you in bed with Lyon was something I just couldn't handle."

He paused, trying to get himself together.

"But I understand now…what you couldn't tell me. I know why Lyon was better for you than I was. You were right, what you said at my grave site."

He choked on his tears again, his whole body shaking.

"It was my fault too," he whispered, "So I don't want you to feel guilty anymore. What we shared together…I'll never forget it. You will always hold a special place in my heart. I know to some degree, I'll stay in yours too. But it's okay now. I'm ready to let you go. You can let me go now too."

He leaned down and kissed her lips lightly.

"I'm proud of you. I'm proud of you for chasing your dreams. That's an amazing little restaurant you've got there. And you have good people who care about you. You're going to be okay, Juves. And now, it's time for you to go find Lyon and tell him you're ready to have a full relationship with him. Marriage, babies, the whole works. I forgive you, Juvia. Lyon too. No more animosity. No more anger. And I hope –" he paused, sniffing loudly, " – I hope you'll forgive me too."

She stirred, opening her eyes slightly.

"Gray?"

"You're dreaming, Juvia," he whispered, "Go back to sleep. No more tears over me."

She settled her head back down onto the pillow, a peaceful sigh escaping her mouth as she fell asleep again.

He stood, making his wall back to the wall to become the shadow, "I won't be coming back again. Neither of us need me to," he paused, realizing he meant every word he was saying to her, "Have a happy life, Juvia."

He blew her a final kiss, then went back to _shadow_ mode, letting himself out of the apartment building.

Lyon was standing in the walkway, looking like he'd just been hit by a bus. His eyes were red as he stared at the front door, obviously in the throws of a major decision.

Gray walked down the front door in _transparency,_ tears subsiding _._

As he walked by Lyon, he _nudged_ him.

Gray continued to walk away from the apartment building without looking back. He could hear them behind him. Lyon had banged on the door until Juvia answered, flinging herself into his arms in a fresh gale of tears.

He smiled to himself slightly.

It was okay now. Juvia's life was the way it was meant to be.

Gray felt a wave of relief wash over him, taking away all the doubts, anger, and fears that had plagued him for years. He felt absolute peace.

* * *

The four of them arrived at the apartments at the same time. They all exchanged awkward glances. They were all keeping secrets…and they all knew it.

"You're all home late," Gray commented as they opened the doors and walked to the elevator.

"Are you…okay, Gray?" Levy asked.

"Yeah. I'm okay," Gray said truthfully, "What have you guys all been up to?"

Levy, Lucy and Natsu were all silent. Levy had a wild look in her eyes. Gray wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement. Natsu and Lucy were standing close together, but not touching. Even so, both of their faces were flushed.

"Okay then," Gray sighed as the elevator dinged and they all got off, heading for their apartments, "I guess we'll talk tomorrow. Gnight ladies."

Gray and Natsu waited until Lucy and Levy were safely in their apartment before entering their own. It was dark inside and they both breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like Erza had gone to bed.

They took off their shoes as silently as possible, planning to tiptoe for the bedroom.

The light flipped on. Erza was in a white house coat and big, fuzzy bunny slippers.

"Welcome home, boys...we need to talk."


	24. Chapter 24

Natsu and Erza were sitting at the kitchen table when Gray got back from waking Levy. She was still half-asleep as they joined them at the table, everyone in various states of dress. Erza was in her white housecoat and fuzzy bunny slippers, Gray with his shirt off and in boxers, Levy in her nightgown with bed head. Natsu was still dressed, but he still thought if someone took a picture, it would be kind of hilarious to look at in future years.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here," Erza began, pouring everyone a coffee, "I thought it would be a good idea for all of us Angels to get onto the same page."

"I thought you weren't going to interfere with our mission," Natsu protested, "I thought you were going to trust me and Gray to get the job done."

"I'm simply _guiding_ you. I'm not _interfering_ per se," Erza said, "But I do think you have things going in 3 different directions and I don't believe you've ever all three sat down even once."

Nobody could deny that. A meeting _hadn't_ happened. Not even once.

"So Gray, I know we're all wondering," Erza continued, "How did it go tonight?"

Gray glanced from face to face, lingering on Levy's. It was really no one else's business, but he supposed in order for them to know he could handle things again, he'd have to offer some sort of explanation.

"I did it," he said simply, "I let her go. She's with Lyon now. And I'm cool with that."

Erza nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I know how hard it was for you, Gray. I'm proud of you."

He looked down at the table, not really wanting to make eye contact, "Yeah. It's good now."

She glanced at Natsu, her mouth falling open, but she couldn't think of a single way to ask his status. They all already knew anyway. Lucy and Natsu grew closer by the day. Instead, she said, "I think you should be trying to edge Lucy for what she knows. It's possible she knows something Levy doesn't."

Natsu nodded, just as happy to leave the matter alone.

Erza glanced to Levy, "And what's your status?"

Levy took a deep breath, "Dan is in Onibus."

"How do you know that?" Natsu asked.

"A few years back, I had some help from an Angel that worked in the police department of the town we were living in at the time," Levy said, "She taught me how to access people's files at the department. I can get in using a fake name that she set up for me. When I use it, she'll know and wipe my tracks for me. I can use it to track Dan's debit/credit cards and have a general idea of how close he is."

"Onibus isn't that far away," Gray said with concern, "I think maybe it's time for me to track him down so we know exactly where he is…and whether he's making tracks to Magnolia any time soon."

Natsu furrowed his eyebrows. _Making tracks?_

"Good plan," Erza confirmed, "We'll come back to that in a bit. What else did you learn, Levy?"

Levy examined her fingers nervously, "Gajeel…he's not who he says he is."

"I KNEW IT!" Gray shouted, standing up and pointing a finger at Levy.

"Sit down!" Erza ordered.

"Yes m'am," Gray sat down, his face red, and gestured for Levy to continue.

"He's a cop," Levy said quietly, "When I was at the cop shop, he was coming in as I was leaving. It seems that he's investigating Freed. There's some sort of drug ring using libraries to transport their drugs. But it looks like Freed is cleared of whatever Gajeel was investigating him for. He'll be moving on shortly. I know it has nothing to do with anything, but it was a bit of a shock."

"Well, it can't be bad to know a cop," Natsu pointed out, "At least we know you're safe at work."

Levy nodded, "For a few days anyway."

"I don't know what Dan looks like," Gray said to Levy, "I'll need help identifying him."

"He travels with his friend, Samuel," Levy said, "I don't have a picture…but Lucy does."

"Lucy keeps a picture of her ex-boyfriend?" Natsu asked, perturbed.

"Only because she beats herself up about it every day," Levy said softly, "Lucy hides it well, but she's so tired. She has moments of self-hate with all the running we've had to do. She thinks she's ruined my life. The picture reminds her of why she keeps going. Because she _doesn't_ want a life with him."

"Can you get us the picture?" Erza asked.

Levy nodded, heading for the door, "Be right back."

Erza noticed Gray, still looking at his hands. She wondered if he was really okay, but thought it best not to say anything. Maybe he just needed time. His love for Juvia had been strong for so long. 'Letting go' was not going to happen overnight. But he had taken the first step.

Natsu was silent too, deep in contemplation...highly unusual for him, but she wasn't ready to tackle Natsu's dilemma yet. She needed to make sure Gray was actually okay first.

Levy returned to the apartment, picture in hand. She put it on the table for all of them to see. Dan was a tall red-head with a jutted jaw. In the picture, he was pointing and laughing at Lucy about something. Natsu glared at the picture. She didn't look happy there.

"I don't have a picture of Samuel," she said, "but he's shorter than Dan…balding on the head. Wears glasses – big round lenses. He dresses in shirts and ties on a daily basis and looks rather formal all the time. The last I saw, they were driving a blue Ford Taurus, or something along that lines."

"Why would he still be following Lucy and you after all these years?" Erza wondered, "I know he's an obsessed ex-boyfriend and he wants Lucy's keys to the storage room, but it's so strange that he makes it his life's work to find you."

All three of them stared at her – how did she know?

"I know the whole story," Erza said, answering their unsaid question, "Well, partial at least. I know Lucy left home young, ended up with Dan for a time and kept running, Levy in tow."

"A week or so ago, Levy and I went to the storage room," Gray said, "Do you know about the gold bars?"

Erza nodded, not surprising any of the other three. She seemed to know everything, "Maybe once we know where Dan is, it would be a good idea to get the keepsakes out of there. I think you were right in your hypothesis of offering him the keys in exchange for Levy and Lucy's freedom. But when you find him, don't confront him. Not until we figure out the story behind the gold bars."

"We know Lucy's father, Jude, stole them from a man named Jose Porla," Levy said slowly, "And that Lucy's mother, Layla, stole them from Jude. The question is why. If they're counterfeit, they aren't valuable."

"Then there's the mystery of what's in the middle," Gray added, "When we go back to get the keepsakes, I think we should take a gold bar too. We'll find a way to smash it and see what's inside."

"Maybe I should try to find some information at the library about missing gold shipments," Levy suggested, "I mean, _someone_ must have noticed $1,000,000 worth of gold going missing. Maybe there's some old articles or something."

"Very good then," Erza announced, drinking the last of her coffee, "I'd say we'll all officially on the same page. I think we should all go to bed now. Gray, when do you plan to leave?"

"In the morning," he said, "There's a chance Dan won't come to Magnolia next, but we shouldn't _take_ that chance. I'll feel better knowing where he is."

"Me too," Levy said.

"Then if you're satisfied when you get back that we have time, perhaps you and I will go to Crocus," Erza suggested.

Gray nodded, "That would be a good idea."

They all stood up, saying goodnight as they parted ways.

Natsu and Gray returned to their rooms after Levy went home, taking their perspective sides of the bed.

"Gray?" Natsu asked once they were settled into the bed.

"Yeah, Natsu?"

Natsu wanted to ask what the expression 'on the same page' meant. He was getting better at figuring out expressions though and suddenly, it wasn't so important. During the meeting, he'd had a thousand questions running through his mind. None of them seemed important suddenly either.

"Nevermind."

Gray grunted, rolling over so his back was to Natsu. It didn't take long for them both to start snoring.


	25. Chapter 25

Natsu watched Levy from the shadows. Erza had thought maybe Natsu should follow her today to give Erza a chance to hang out with Lucy, much to Natsu's chagrin. But Levy's work was _boring_. There were far too many books in that one place. That was one thing Natsu never understood: the love of books. There were so many adventures to be had outside, with actual people. Why would one want to sit somewhere and read in the first place? So BORING!

She checked her clients in and out of the library with a smile on her face. Gajeel was working in the corner, installing some shelving for the newest books that had arrived at the library. He looked Gajeel up and down. He didn't _look_ like a cop. But then, Natsu guessed that was kind of the point. The man was massive...and intimidating.

Freed was in the back, checking a shipment of books that had just come in. He worked silently and alone, rarely coming up front unless it was to bark at Gajeel or ask Levy to do something. Natsu guessed it was boring to even work there, considering nobody ever said anything even to each other other than to tell them what to do. Libraries were seriously the most uninteresting place in the world.

He noticed that Levy was careful to avoid Gajeel. He approached her a few times when Freed wasn't looking. Each time she'd blown him off, saying she had a client at the desk or she had to hurry and get whatever done. She moved around the library quickly and efficiently. As boring as a library was to _him,_ he had to admit Levy was quite at home here. She was good at her job.

Natsu started to daydream about his quick meet-up with Lucy earlier. He met her outside when she took Plue out and they'd managed to sneak in a romantic walk at the beach, since they were both sad she had to work that day. They'd promised to catch up again later.

"I'm going for lunch," Freed stated monotonously, emerging from the back, "Don't burn the place down while I'm gone, Gajeel. Levy, watch the uneducated freak like a hawk."

He stalked off. Gajeel grabbed Levy's shoulder from behind her as she balled her fists and started after Freed.

"Not worth it, Shrimp," he said, "I told you before – he doesn't bother me."

She slammed a book on the counter, making Natsu jump. He wasn't used to seeing Pissed-Off-Levy. She was kinda scary – like Erza-scary - when she was like this.

"He's such a jerk!" she vented, "One of these days…"

"Let it go, Shrimp," Gajeel reminded, "I'm not upset, and you shouldn't be either."

Her shoulders slumped, "Okay."

She returned to her task of checking in the books that had been dropped in the box overnight.

Gajeel stood at the other side of the counter, "So my probation is over in a couple days."

She looked up briefly and went back to her books.

"I'm going to miss seeing you every day," he said softly.

"I'm sure you have thousands of women friends back home," Levy stated flatly, taking another book, "By the end of the week, you won't even remember my name."

Gajeel laughed, "Wow Shrimp. Attitude much?"

"Where is 'home', Gajeel?" Levy asked, changing the subject.

" _Noooooo!"_ Natsu begged her silently to not nose around.

"I'm from lots of places," Gajeel said, "but mostly, home is Crocus."

"Oh? And what do you do there? When you're not beating up people with your cousins, of course."

Gajeel furrowed his eyebrows, a little shocked at her bluntness, "I'm in construction."

"Gonna call bullshit on that one," Levy said, moving her stack of checked-in books to a trolley, "Construction personnel have rough calluses on their hands. Clearly, you're not using heavy machinery on a daily basis."

Natsu chuckled to himself that Freed had managed to make her that grumpy. _Pissed-off-Levy is hilarious!_

He scowled slightly, "I'm getting back to work."

"Yeah," she said, moving her trolley out to the aisles to return books to their shelves, "You do that."

Natsu shook his head. Levy could be very assertive for such a small girl. He wondered what instigated Levy's attitude. He figured it had something to do with her adjustment to the fact that he was a cop. He watched Levy disappear into the aisles, Gajeel also watching before he turned and headed to the back room.

Levy took the moment to search in the database for anything to do with missing gold shipments...or maybe Porla's arrest. There must be some information _somewhere._ She glanced up, watching Gajeel hammer some nails into the new shelving to mount it to the walls.

* * *

Gray arrived in Onibus, getting off the train. He glanced around, sighing heavily. Where to begin?

Onibus wasn't as nice as Magnolia…that much was apparent right away. The stores looked a bit older and the streets weren't as busy. He strolled casually through the market area, stopping to view different items so as to not seem suspicious. He kept to the main streets, skirting around to different hotels to see if he could find a car similar to what Levy had described. Nothing.

He pretty much knew he was hunting for a needle in hay stack. Levy knew that Dan and Samuel were in Onibus _yesterday._ It was entirely possible that they'd moved on. Still, he decided a thorough search was in order. He needed to be sure.

His thoughts flashed to Juvia. He hoped she was feeling good about her decision to be with Lyon this morning. Gray himself was conflicted. He knew it had to be done. He'd done it. But he wasn't completely at peace with it. The peace that he'd felt as he walked away from Juvia's apartment was short-lived, but he couldn't tell Erza, Levy, or Natsu that. No, he was going to have to find a way to be okay with it on his own. Overall, he was kind of thankful that he was able to vacate Magnolia for a few days. It might give him the time he needed to adjust.

* * *

Erza watched in the shadows as Lucy delivered plates of hot, steaming food to various customers.

Erza had identified some of the other employees as well. After all, it was important to know your assignment's surroundings. There was Lisanna, the bartender. Erza knew right away she was the lost sister of Mira and Elfman – her white hair and brilliant blue eyes gave her away immediately. Then there was Cana, the head waitress, who often crouched behind the bar to take a swig of a rum bottle kept below the counter. Loke was the bus boy. He watched Lucy a lot and was quick to step in whenever a customer got a little too friendly. Another girl with pink hair was named Virgo. She had a very quick wit.

The door chimed and the person Erza was hoping to see strolled in. Juvia's eyes were bright today. Her face threatened to crack from the enormous smile she wore. In place of her long, blue dress that she usually wore, today she wore a shorter, cocktail-dress like gown.

"Juvia! You look amazing today!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I have to admit," Juvia grinned, "I _feel_ amazing!"

"Something good must have happened!" Cana pried, her eyes glinting with playful curiosity.

Juvia nodded, "But I'm not telling you!" she sing-songed on her way to her office.

Erza smiled to herself. This was good. This was very good.

Lucy was cutting lemons at the back counter when she suddenly knicked herself.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, immediately taking her finger to her mouth.

"Let me see," Loke took her finger and examined it, "It's not too bad. C'mon. We'll wash it off."

He guided her to the sink, gently washing her fingers for her.

"So...there's this movie coming out on Friday...a romantic comedy," Loke said nervously, wrapping Lucy's finger with a band-aid, "Do you want to come with me?"

Lucy smiled kindly, "Thank you, Loke, but I have someone that is very special to me. I'm going to spend as much time with him this weekend as possible."

Loke let out an audibly disappointed sigh, "I'm glad you have someone, Lucy. You're an amazing girl. You deserve someone nice."

* * *

Levy was deeply engrossed in a book about the life of Jose Porla, however, none of it had anything to do with his arrest and surrounding events. It talked about the politician he was and the contributions he made to the city before he went completely and utterly bankrupt.

"Shrimp?" Gajeel sat beside her, glancing at her book.

She closed it quickly, "Are you done the shelves?"

"Almost. Just wanted to know what I did to piss you off."

Her face softened, "Nothing, Gajeel. You didn't do anything."

Natsu hummed. Judging by how her face relaxed once Gajeel had said something, Natsu could see the soft spot Levy had for Gajeel. _Those were walls! She was putting up defences because doesn't deal with deception well. Ooooh how the kettle called the teapot black...or the black teapot called the kettle black? Shit. And here I was so proud of myself for remembering what the phrase means._

"You're acting like you're mad at me," Gajeel said. For such a big man, it sounded remarkably like a whine.

 _"_ I'm not mad," Levy promised, "I just think you're not telling the whole truth. And I'm wondering if you'll ever trust me enough to tell me."

He stood up, using his hammer to salute her as he headed back to his shelves, "Maybe one day, Shrimp. You might have to agree to see me outside work if you want to know more.

Levy giggled, then put her book aside. There was someone at the counter.

* * *

Erza watched the scene with guarded amusement. Loke definitely had a crush on Lucy. Lucy accepted his kindness, but she definitely didn't return his feelings. She sighed heavily. It was insane the amount of drama she'd been exposed to in the past few days.

She honestly had no clue what to do about Lucy and Natsu's romance. The truth was, they were perfect for each other. Lucy was a wealth of patience and sweetness. She was so kind to Natsu, which is exactly what he needed. In turn, he doted on her. He had no ulterior motives for the love he offered her. He just _loved_ her. Their love was so pure.

Natsu had had a point that night that he talked to Gray. If Natsu was the one who made Lucy happy, then what was the problem? Erza knew she was going to need to tell Natsu that he had to let her move on with someone else, but she didn't want to do it. So far, she'd avoided any semblance of a conversation about it.

She regarded Loke, her heartstrings screaming at her that there was no way he could ever make Lucy happy. Still, she had to consider every option.


	26. Chapter 26

It was finally the end of Levy's shift and Natsu was bouncing with excitement over the prospect of finally leaving the most-ridiculously-boring-place-ever and getting to go home to see Lucy. Levy wasn't as happy as Natsu, not having had a proper moment to do her own research all day.

Levy was grabbing her purse as she headed for the door. Freed had already said goodnight, leaving Levy to lock up. Gajeel had finished putting up the new shelves and he waited for her patiently so that she would not lock up alone.

"Thank you for waiting, Gajeel," Levy said, setting the security alarm. They both went out the door, Levy locking it promptly, "Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I really _don't_ understand why you put up with the way Freed treats you though."

"I'm done here in 2 days," Gajeel shrugged, "I guess I figure there's no point in starting anything."

She glanced at him, trying to read into his face. He looked so intimidating, piercings and long, dark hair. He had a perma-scowl on his face, yet he was kind and gentle.

"How did you get to be on probation, Gajeel?"

He scoffed, kicking at the ground, "I told you. My cousins did something stupid and I was busted with them."

She cocked her head and squinted her eyes, "You know I don't believe that, right?"

They made eye contact. _Is he blushing?_

Levy's cab arrived, breaking the moment.

"I guess…that's my cab," Levy said slowly.

"Do you _have_ to go?" Gajeel asked, "I mean, go if you need to, but being that I'm almost done working at the library and I probably won't see you around much…"

"What are you suggesting?" Levy took a step closer to him. She knew Natsu was anxious to get home and could practically feel his cold gaze on her neck.

"Coffee?" Gajeel's face lit up with hope.

Levy smiled prettily, "Yeah. Let me tell the cab to go."

Gajeel's face beamed as she leaned into the cab, telling him thank you, but she wouldn't require it. As she walked back to his side, she whispered, hoping Natsu would hear.

"I'm fine, Natsu…you can go home."

Natsu stared after Levy as she went with Gajeel toward a coffee shop not far from the library. Now what was supposed to do? He was told – by Erza – to follow Levy. If he returned without her, there'd be hell to pay. Plus, what did they really know about Gajeel? What if he wanted to hurt Levy?

He grumbled to himself. He _just_ _wanted to go home to see Lucy._ But he followed after Levy and Gajeel anyway, kicking as the ground as he went.

* * *

As Lucy walked home from work, she paused to really take in the beauty of the area. The ocean was so still, it looked like glass. She watched a group of ducks, all walking in a line, quacking out their conversation to each other. Natsu was right. There was so much beauty in the little things she took for granted every day.

 _Natsu_. At the very thought of his name, Lucy snapped out her reverie and headed for home. She wanted to see him. Everyday that passed, she found it harder to be away from him...and morning interludes for 20-30 minutes weren't enough. Natsu had brought her walls down. Well, almost all of them. She still hadn't confided in him about her Dan dilemma…but she was trying to. For the first time in her life, she felt like someone really cared about her…other than Levy, of course. Since she seemed to be on a stroke of good luck, maybe Dan would stay away this time.

She was walking by a gift shop when she paused, stepping back to look again at something she through the window. On impulse, she entered the store, purchasing the small ornament. She wanted to show her appreciation to Natsu for being so amazing all the time. She had the gift shop wrap it up in a small box.

Lucy skipped the rest of the way home. She was excited because she knew Natsu would love her gift.

She knocked on his door before even stopping at her apartment. There was no answer. When she went into her own apartment, Levy wasn't home either. Her face fell for a moment, but she figured soon everyone would probably come home all at once. She would take the opportunity to write while she was alone.

Lucy went into her room, extracting the book that she kept her novel in. The average person looking at it wouldn't catch on that it was hollow. It was perfect for hiding her masterpiece. Levy knew that Lucy was an aspiring writer and often encouraged her to go public and publish one of her creative works. But Lucy had accepted that couldn't happen. Not as long as Dan followed her. She settled for writing her books in secret. So far, she had around seven complete novels. She was writing a series about a guild of people with magic powers. She relished in their adventures, loving the intricacy of creating and developing each character. Her favourite was the _Dragon Slayer_ that she'd named Dragion. He was a fire user and his character kept getting more and more complicated. She was enchanted with this world and quickly lost herself, not even realizing two hours had passed and still no one had returned.

After finishing a new chapter, Lucy put her novel away and stood up, stretching. She stared at her bed for a moment, gulping slightly. She reached between the mattresses and felt for her keys. Panicking at first, she realized they weren't exactly where she'd left them. She was sure she'd placed them toward her pillow! She lifted the mattress quickly, breathing a sigh of relief as she spotted more toward the middle of the bed.

 _How strange...how did they get there?_

She picked them up gingerly, leaning against her bed as she sat on the floor.

"It's better now, Mama," Lucy said out loud, stroking the shiny surfaces of her keys, "Levy and I are still on the run, but we've met some good people: Natsu, Gray and Erza. Gray and Levy like each other, but they haven't gotten together yet. Erza is a bit of a control freak…but she's got a good heart and she cares about Levy and I, even though we've just met. And then there's Natsu. I wish you could meet him most of all. He's sweet and gentle. And kind, and innocent…he's amazing. And he likes me. Not just likes me. I really see myself falling in love with him, Mama," she paused, "I'm already most of the way there. I've never felt so safe and protected. I really wish you could meet him."

She put the keys back where she found them and called Plue to her. She should take him out for a walk. He should need to go outside fairly soon. Plus, if she took him out now, maybe he wouldn't leave her something to step in come morning.

Erza watched in silence. She liked Lucy. A lot. And the more time she spent watching Lucy, the more it occurred to her how much she wanted to see Lucy and Natsu together…even though that was not going to be the outcome. Erza felt her heart lurch. She resolved to approach Makarov before this was over and beg him for another solution.

* * *

Gray had been all over Onibus. He knew his options were getting shorter and it looked like he was going to go home, telling them he'd failed to track Dan and Samuel. Sighing heavily, he noticed he was passing a pub. Warring with himself, he decided it couldn't hurt. A good, stiff drink was just what the doctor ordered.

He saw them as soon as he entered the pub. The dark red hair of the tall man and gleaming balding head of the other man was difficult to miss.

Gray was in solid form, so he took a table a small ways from the two men, asking for a rum and Coke, then settled to watch the two men that had stalked and scared two of his good friends for years.


	27. Chapter 27

Gajeel and Levy were seated at a small café down the street from the library. Natsu sat glumly in the seat next to Levy in _transparency_ as they ordered – Gajeel an expresso and Levy a Chai latte.

"So only 2 days left of 'probation'," Levy said, a smirk on her face, "You know I don't believe that, right? You gonna tell me the truth?"

Gajeel returned her smirk. He liked the way she challenged him. The way she observed him enough to know that there was more than meets the eye to his story intrigued him.

"Nope. You gonna tell me why I caught you in the archives of the library more than once today?"

Levy laughed, "Nope."

He had good observation skills too.

Levy was still a little cheesed about that. She had tried multiple times to sit down and research the archives for stolen gold shipments, getting called away for clients each time. Gajeel had finished his shelves and went to work unloading the shipment Freed had checked in early that day. But he had found himself watching Levy for most of the day instead.

Natsu rolled his eyes. _C'mon Levy...I wanna go home._ He poked her in the ribs, reminding her of his presence. She jumped, making Gajeel eye her with a furrowed brow.

"You're jumpy tonight," he commented, "What's the matter…do I make you nervous?"

"Not at all," she denied, "It's just sometimes, I have a tic."

As if to prove her point, she whacked her hand out. She was sure it looked random to Gajeel, but in reality, she'd smacked Natsu in the face, warning him to back off.

"I'm going to miss seeing you everyday," Gajeel said, his face turning red at the sudden admission.

Levy cast an angry glance at the invisible person beside her. _Natsu nudged him!_

"The library won't be the same without you," Levy said, "But I'm sure you have friends and family waiting for you to return. Crocus, you said, right?"

He nodded, "I have a sister that lives with our Grandmother, Grandeeney. Other than that, no family," he leaned forward, poking her in the forehead with a forefinger, "I'm not answering all the questions tonight, Shrimp…you have to answer some too!"

"What could you possibly want to know about me?" she threw her hands up in the air, smacking Natsu in the forehead rather purposely. He was fidgeting. And in _transparency_ , her chair was bouncing as much as his was.

"What about your family situation?" he asked.

Levy was quiet for a moment, "I don't have one," she said softly, "When I was little, a really bad virus came to the city I was living in. My parents both died as well as my brother."

She left out the fact that she'd died too.

"What about your cousins?" she asked, "Do they…exist?"

He couldn't help but notice the laughter in her voice. She was teasing him, knowing darn well the probation story was a ruse.

"Yes they exist!" Gajeel had a cocky half-smile on his face, "I'll introduce them one day…if you'd like to see me outside of the library."

Now it was Levy's turn to blush. She raised her foot and brought it down on Natsu's toes, earning a squeal that Levy covered up by coughing. _STOP NUDGING HIM!_

"Sorry – my latte went down the wrong pipe. Maybe that would be nice," Levy said softly, "So what are your plans now? You said earlier that you'd go back to Crocus…for 'construction'."

Gajeel suppressed an all out laugh. She was mocking him, trying to divulge the truth, amidst some sort of weird fit. She looked hilarious.

"I will probably go back to Crocus," he admitted, "but I like Magnolia. Well, _parts_ of Magnolia," he grinned, watching Levy flush again. It was his new hobby...he _loved_ making her blush, "Maybe I'll stick around here for awhile."

"I never know month-to-month where I'll be," Levy said quietly.

 _Damn it Natsu – I am seriously going to hurt you!_ She would never have said that on her own! Natsu seriously had a death wish. Why would he nudge her to admit she moves around?

Gajeel leaned forward, "What does that mean, Levy? Why would you move so much?"

Levy's face was white with horror, "Nothing – I just haven't found a place I like yet. Magnolia seems okay. I'll probably stay here for awhile. Probably a long while. Maybe forever."

Both Gajeel and Natsu chuckled over Levy's back peddle. Not very smooth.

He grabbed a napkin and wrote his number on it, "Wherever you end up, that's my number. It doesn't change. You'll get me wherever I am."

"Thank you, Gajeel," Levy said, taking the napkin. She put it in her purse, then stood up, "I have to go. I have some friends waiting for me."

He nodded and stood up, wondering if her departure was a bit hurried, "I'll wait outside with you until your taxi comes, Lev."

"Don't worry about it," she said with a smile, "It's not far. I'm sure the cab will be here right away."

"Maybe next time," Gajeel said, again his face expressing that he wasn't sure where his bravery came from, "We can really go out. For dinner. Maybe a movie."

Levy resolved that Natsu was going to die a second death tonight, "Sure Gajeel. Sounds good."

He left the restaurant, leaving Levy and Natsu to leave as well.

She started walking back toward the library.

"Where are we going?" Natsu demanded, reappearing beside her, "Levy – our apartments are the _other_ way."

"I am so ticked at you right now!" she seethed, "What the hell was that all about?"

"I wanted to know his real thoughts," Natsu said simply, "And _nudging_ him made the conversation go a lot quicker than waiting for you and him to get around to it _eventually_. You two are so bad at flirting."

"Then why were you _nudging ME?"_ she spat, walking ahead, "And _what the hell do YOU know about flirting?"_

"Gray taught me," Natsu said innocently.

"Why would you believe _anything_ Gray teaches you is a good thing?" Levy spat out.

"You tell me! You're the one who likes him _like that,"_ Natsu cocked his head, "Levy? How many people can one person like? I mean I like you as a friend, but there's only one..." he was almost going to say Lucy, but caught himself, "...person I like."

She rolled her eyes. SO NOT SUBTLE.

"I was just trying to help you with Gajeel! Hey – we're still going in the wrong direction!"

" _I_ am going to the library again," she snapped, "I don't care what you do. Go home to Lucy. I'm well-aware that's what you want anyway. I need to try getting access to the Archives while it's quiet, since it's obvious I can't do it during work hours."

She stalked away, leaving Natsu open-mouthed.

"Wait Levy!" Natsu yelled, running to catch up to her, "I'm sorry. I'll come with you into the library. Lucy will still be up when we get home."

"You don't have to," Levy said in a calmer voice. She turned to Natsu, sighing heavily, "I know you need to see Lucy," she said quietly, "and I don't know what to tell you about that, Natsu. We both know it's forbidden. We both know it can't go anywhere. I'm scared for you…and for Lucy."

Natsu nodded, his face falling. His earlier bluff hadn't worked. Levy still knew how he felt about Lucy. This was the first time she'd ever said anything to him about it though. Gray had warned him too.

She pulled back off his shoulder, her eyes kind, "But I also think you're so good together. I have never seen Lucy so happy. And I don't know how that could be a bad thing. Even Heaven would have to agree…you're the missing parts to each other's puzzle."

Natsu looked utterly confused.

"You're good together," Levy corrected, noting Natsu's look, "Really, really good."

Natsu nodded, "I can't leave you, though. I was assigned to you for the day. If I go home without you, Erza will…"

Levy giggled, "Maybe. Okay. How's this? We'll go into the library quickly and access as much as we can about the gold bars. If we don't find anything in 10 minutes, we'll go home."

Natsu nodded, "Okay. I need to know about the gold bars too. Let's go."

They climbed the steps to the library hurriedly, not noticing the pierced man standing behind them, mouth agape.

"What are you up to?" Gajeel wondered, following them to the library doors, "And who's your friend that just literally materialized out of…nowhere?"

* * *

Lucy and Erza were on their 4th glass of wine. Lucy had seen Erza come in about 1 hour ago, answering immediately when Erza came looking for her.

Now the girls were drinking wine and looking through tabloid magazines as they giggled and laughed at the headlines. Plue was practically curled up on Erza's lap.

" _Woman Sets Man's Shirt on Fire For Not Flushing Toilet,"_ Lucy read.

"Hmm...I have a better one," Erza laughed, holding up her newspaper, " _Donkey Marries Farmer Jacob in Huge Barnyard Shindig."_

Lucy keeled over laughing, "Oh that's _shameful!_ "

"How about this one?" Erza grabbed a different paper, holding it up gleefully, " _Bride Leaves Husband for Parking Meter."_

"Unreal!" Lucy exclaimed, "Where do they come _up_ with this stuff?"

"Do you want to get married?" Erza asked softly, completely changing the topic.

"Me?" Lucy asked incredulously. She paused, a far off look in her eyes, "Maybe. I don't know that I'm marriage material. My lifestyle is not stable enough."

Erza shook her head, "You look pretty stable to me!"

"I might appear that way," Lucy said softly, "But there's…things you don't know."

"Things have a way of working out," Erza promised, "So who would you marry?"

Lucy choked on her wine, "I don't know!"

"I would marry my childhood sweetheart, Jellal," Erza said immediately, "We were so good together."

"What happened to him?" Lucy asked.

Erza paused, thinking over her answer.

"He moved on," she said simply, "Ok – I went – now you go!"

Lucy blushed purple, "I don't know," she repeated.

 _Nudge_.

"I think Natsu's amazing," Lucy blushed deeply, "And we're nowhere near that step…but I think he's worth giving a chance to. I don't anyone else could possibly make me as happy as Natsu does."

Erza's heartstrings pulled on her, "You would be cute together…but what about Loke?"

Lucy's wine was getting to her head now. It prevented her from realizing Erza had never met Loke. Erza caught it as soon as it was out of her mouth though and silently chastised herself for it.

Lucy was shaking her head vigorously, "Noooo, Erzy. I could never like Loke _that way_. Loke coddles me too much. He's too overbearing."

Erza laughed, knowing she might get an earful from Natsu for getting Lucy drunk.

"But Natsu is all squeezy and he gives the bestest hugs in the world," Lucy drawled, "And he's all funny and makes good jokes. But most of all, he sees _me._ He doesn't see the Heartfilia heir. He doesn't see a girl who was pretty much abandoned by both parents. He sees a girl who just wants someone to love her for who she is. He sees my flaws and he doesn't care. He also doesn't try to change me or make me someone I'm not. He's made me smile for the first time...in a really long time."

Erza realized that Lucy was too tispy to really think about Erza's questions now, considering the tangent she just went on, so she pushed, "But what happens if you have to run again? What will you do about Natsu?"

"I'll ask him to come with me," Lucy said without hesitation, laying down on her back, "Erzy, the room is spinning…are we having an earthquake?"

Erza couldn't answer Lucy…her own head reeling with the statement Lucy had just made. She was too late to plant suggestions into Lucy's head that Natsu and her wouldn't work out. Lucy had already fallen for Natsu. Erza realized that she wanted it to work out for them too. They were so cute together.

Erza vowed she'd helped make it happen at that moment. Maybe it was the wine talking, but there had to be _some_ solution. Otherwise, what was the point of the expression _'a match made in Heaven'_? Because that's exactly what Natsu and Lucy were.

* * *

Gray followed the two men out to their car. It sounded like their next plan was to head to Kunugi, the town on the other side of Onibus, away from Magnolia. This was good, but Gray wanted to be sure.

He had spent the evening listening to their bland conversation. One in awhile, Dan would cat-call out to a passing lady, trying to secure a one-night stand while they tried to find Lucy and Levy. Honestly, the both of them disgusted Gray. Dan was completely obsessed, often mentioning in random places during their conversation that 'Lucy would agree with me there'.

Eventually, their conversation rolled around to the fact that it didn't look like the girls were in Onibus. They discussed other locations to try. Magnolia was mentioned, but forgotten when Dan remembered there was a brothel in Kunugi.

Gray noted they had a different car than what Levy described. It was a red Camry. Gray picked up a sharp rock and used the speed of the shadows to throw a rock at the back passenger tire, just as Samuel walked by it.

"Damn it!" Samuel exclaimed, "This tire is flat! We might have to spend the night here. I doubt there's any mechanics available at this hour."

Dan sighed heavily. What rotten luck.

Satisfied that he'd slowed them down a bit and their location would take them slightly further away, Gray flitted through the shadows to catch a train back to Magnolia.


	28. Chapter 28

Natsu and Levy started at the library's computer. Levy typed in 'gold bar heist', trying to elicit the archives to bring up title suggestions.

"Try 'Jose Porla Arrest'," Natsu suggested.

Levy cast him an impressed glance. Natsu was quite intelligent when he wanted to be.

She typed in the new phrase, but still nothing came up.

"This is nuts," she muttered, "It's impossible that a heist that big has not been documented. We're talking multi-millions of dollars."

"And why would you be researching a multi-millon dollar heist?" a voice said behind them.

Levy and Natsu froze, turning around slowly. Gajeel stood there, arms crossed.

"Gajeel…what are you doing here?" Levy asked, her eyes wide.

"I think I could ask you the same question," Gajeel chuckled, "Is this the 'friend' you had to meet?"

Levy glanced at Natsu, "Umm...yeah! This is Natsu. He asked me to find something for him."

"After hours," Gajeel said pointedly, "You met him after hours to find this 'something' for him. 'Something' that sounds a bit illegal to me."

Levy and Natsu were frozen.

"You won't find what you're looking for here," Gajeel repeated, "It's a police file most likely if it's something to do with Jose Porla. He's been in jail for quite a while now. His files are protected due to some stupid loophole his lawyer found in the system. Plus, you're breaking and entering."

"Are you going to arrest us?" Levy asked, revealing she knew his true occupation.

Gajeel snickered, "I was wondering if that's why you were acting so strange. You know I'm a cop."

Levy nodded, "So? Are you going to arrest us?"

"No," Gajeel said, "I'm going to listen to your story in a legit place and see if I can help you. Something is wrong with your story. I'm starting to think you're in some sort of trouble."

Neither Levy nor Natsu could say anything at all.

"C'mon Shrimp," Gajeel said, gently taking Levy's arm, glancing at Natsu as he did so. He wondered who this 'friend' was and what relation he was to Levy, "Let's lock up and get out of here before someone _does_ call the cops."

"Get your hands off of her!" Natsu warned.

Gajeel let go of Levy's arm and backed away a bit, "Relax Pinky. I'm trying to help."

Levy glanced back at Natsu who sighed heavily again as he followed them out the door. He probably wouldn't get to see Lucy at all tonight. He also didn't like how familiar Gajeel was acting with Levy.

"Gajeel…can you give me a minute?" Levy pulled her arm away from him and approached Natsu, "Go home, Natsu. I'll be safe with Gajeel."

"How do I know this guy is safe? And what do I tell Erza?" Natsu huffed.

"Tell her I lost you. Tell her I'm with Gajeel and outran you. And as for trusting him, you don't _have_ to trust him. Trust me."

Natsu scoffed at the absurdity of Gajeel and Levy outrunning him. He ran at _least_ every other day. There was no way Levy could outrun him. Levy was smart and cautious, judging by how long it took her to accept Gray and Natsu. He knew her judgement was sound.

Gajeel cocked his head. If Levy was telling him to go home to Lucy, she wasn't _with_ this Natsu-guy. Mind you, this _Lucy_ could also be a pet.

"You want me to lie?" Natsu cocked his head, "I'm not sure…"

"Natsu," Gajeel said, coming alongside Levy, "I know you don't know me…but I promise. I'll get Levy home safely."

Natsu glanced between Levy and Gajeel. Something about the big man's face expressed honesty.

"Okay," Natsu said, pointing a finger at Gajeel, "I'll see you at home, Levy. You've got _one hour._ If Levy's not home, I'm coming for _you_."

Levy nodded and Natsu took off at a run.

"Did he just threaten me?" Gajeel asked incredulously.

"No chance," Levy said lightly, "Natsu is far too sweet and innocent to issue a direct threat."

Gajeel wanted to say he could easily pound the little shit into the next week, but he was Levy's friend...and Gajeel was working really hard to get closer to her. He shrugged it off, "Let's go to a different coffee shop," Gajeel suggested, "We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

Natsu arrived at the apartment building, glancing up at the two side-by-side apartments. The lights were on at Levy and Lucy's apartment. He would start there.

He knocked on the door, Plue barking his welcome. He heard crashing on the inside of the apartment and got ready to break the door down. Just then, the door opened and a very tipsy Lucy threw herself into Natsu's arms. She pulled him inside, locking the door behind them.

"Natsu…I thought you forgot about me and you weren't ever going to come," she slurred.

"I've been trying to get to you all day," he whispered, kissing her forehead, "What happened to you?"

"Erzy and I emptied two bottles of wine," Lucy said, holding up 3 fingers.

Natsu grimaced. He had no doubt Erza was trying to get information from Lucy again. He took Lucy's hand and lead her into the apartment. Erza was putting lipstick on Plue.

"Such a pretty puppy," she gushed, "but you have to stay still. Auntie Erza can't find your lips if you keep moving like that."

Natsu's mouth fell open. The poor dog's fur was multi-coloured. He was very glad Plue and Happy didn't get along so well...they probably would have made him blue! Well, bluer than his natural shade anyway.

"Eyeshadow!" Lucy exclaimed, "What should we use, Erzy? Blue? Purple?"

"Both!" Erza exclaimed.

Lucy let go of Natsu's hand and disappeared into the bathroom.

Natsu squatted down beside Erza, "What have you done?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Natsu – you're here! Maybe Plue isn't as good a model as you would be…will you let us put makeup on you? Lucy! Bring blush!"

"What did you do to Lucy?" Natsu asked her gently, "What have you been making her tell you?"

"Nuttin'," Erza promised, "We were having girl talk. That's all."

Natsu nodded solemnly as Lucy returned, makeup bag in hand.

"Natsu will let us do him," Erza exclaimed excitedly.

"Hey, wait! I didn't say that!" Natsu jumped back, out of Erza's reach.

"Please Natsu?" Lucy purred. She grabbed his arm and gazed at him with puppy dog eyes. He was immediately lured in by her innocent expression. He'd always known he'd do _anything_ for Lucy, but…COME ON!

* * *

30 minutes later, the girls stood back, admiring their masterpiece. Natsu was pretty sure he looked more clown than Angel now. His eyes were adorned in double shades of eye shadow, pink on the top, purple on the bottom. He wore pink blush and a really bright pink shade of lipstick. He'd even been forced to allow them to do his hair. Pink ribbons were tied throughout his thick, pink hair.

But he drew the line at wearing a dress.

"PICTURE!" Lucy exclaimed.

Before Natsu could argue, both Erza and Lucy had scrunched up to his sides, Lucy's cell phone taking the selfie with a click.

"I'm so tired," Erza said suddenly, "Lucy, can I sleep on your couch now?"

"Oh yes!" Lucy grabbed a blanket and a pillow off the arm chair, "I'm getting tired too. Erza, I had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you."

Erza was already snoring.

Lucy turned back to Natsu, "You are so beautiful."

Natsu resisted the urge to tell her to shut up.

"Natsu, I need to go to bed too," Lucy yawned, "I can't remember where my bedroom is."

He took her hand and lead her down the hall.

"You're going to have a hangover tomorrow," he warned her.

"Can you get me medicine while I get my nightgown on please? It's in the bathroom cabinet. Ibuprofen please. 2 tablets. And a tall glass of water please."

Natsu obeyed, leaving her alone for a moment. When he came back, Lucy was on her bed, her nightgown loosely covering everything that made her Lucy. He gasped and tried to look away. She reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him to sit beside her.

She took the pills and the water, thanking him before resting her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you today," she said softly.

"I missed you too," he replied, hugging her to his body.

"We need time together," she said with a tired tone to her voice.

He nodded, completely content for these uninterrupted moments.

"Natsu?"

He lifted her chin, staring into her eyes to show he was listening.

"I would run away with you," she said softly, starting to fall asleep, "If those guys came for me and I had to go…I would want you to come."

He held her for another couple minutes before gently laying her down in the bed. He stooped to kiss her lips lingeringly. He didn't know about Lucy's conversation with Erza or why she would suddenly say something like that. She had confided in him without knowing it.

"I would run away with you too," he whispered. She grabbed his neck, pulling him down, "Don't leave me tonight, Natsu."

"Luce...I can't stay here. It's not right. Not that I don't want to."

 _Ooooh how he wanted to._

"Why isn't it right?" she whined.

"For one thing, if Erza finds me in your room, she will destroy me."

He snickered when he looked down at her as her muscles released his neck. Poor Lucy had fallen asleep. He gently tucked her in and slipped out the door.

* * *

Levy told Gajeel the bulk of the story…the _truth_ , minus the fact that she was an Angel. There was something about him that drew her to him. She trusted him with all her heart. Being that he was a cop, she figured there were worse people she could trust.

"Okay…so here's the gist of what you're telling me," Gajeel said slowly, "Your friend's mother died and left her some keys that go to a storage locker in Crocus. You and your friend Gray went to see what's in it and there are counterfeit gold bars. Lots of them."

Gajeel bit his lip at the name 'Gray'. First there was a Natsu, now a Gray.

"One of the cases are real," Levy interrupted, "And the letter from Lucy's mother said there's something inside the counterfeit gold bars."

"Okay," Gajeel continued, "And when you were 16, well after this alleged heist, you and Lucy ran away from the Heartfilia mansion, and got involved with some dude named Dan. Dan turned violent so you ran. And you've been running ever since."

"Yes," Levy said, "He's been chasing us for a few years now. Somehow he found out about the keys. He's obsessed with Lucy and he wants the keys. But I don't think he knows the bars are fake. Or maybe he does and he wants what's inside them."

Gajeel held his head in his hands as he walked around in a slow circle. They hadn't gone to a café. They decided instead to go back to Gajeel's rented apartment for privacy while Levy told her story.

"And you don't know how long ago the bars were stolen…only that Jose Porla originally took them?"

Levy nodded, "And then Jude stole them from Porla and Layla stole them from Jude."

Gajeel looked at his watch, making sure he hadn't broken the one-hour curfew set by Levy's overly concerned neighbour. Levy had explained about Natsu and even told him about Erza. She mentioned Gray minimally though.

"So...you gonna tell me how your buddy was able to appear out of nowhere?" he asked slowly.

Levy did her best not to react, but inside, she panicked, "He didn't just appear, you numbskull. That's not even possible. It was probably a trick of the shadows."

"Hmm," Gajeel replied, "Sure he did."

Levy looked down at her hands, awkward silence ensuing. He tried to read her...she looked fearful and teary all at the same time. And yet, he figured Levy would rather die than tell him she was afraid...or the truth behind Natsu's parlour trick. He respected Levy's ability to handle stress. He'd seen it time and time again at the library, never letting anything get to her other than the way Freed treated Gajeel. She was doing it now too...refusing to show that something bothered her. And yet, he could sense it somehow.

"We're out of time," Gajeel said, noting her sudden change in demeanour, deciding to get her home so that maybe her 'friend' Natsu would trust him if they met again sometime, "I want to help you. I'll do some research at the station tomorrow."

Levy's eyes turned to a look of gratitude, "Thank you…but please don't tell anyone else about this."

"I don't understand why you haven't been to the cops before now," Gajeel said, noticing the pretty glint in her hazel eyes.

"Lucy is scared," she said simply, "And there wasn't anything to take to the police. All we have are the keys and a couple men chasing us…an ex-boyfriend with an obsessive compulsion disorder. What would we have for cops to take us seriously? It's not illegal to talk to an ex-girlfriend."

"No," Gajeel agreed, "but there's other angles we can take. Let's get you home. Tomorrow I'll do some research. We'll get through this, Shrimp. I'll make sure this Dan guy and his friend leave you alone."

Levy nodded, her eyes brimming with tears.

She got into Gajeel's car and he drove her back to the apartment in silence.

"Thank you," she said as she got out of the car.

"Sleep well," he replied.

Gajeel watched until Levy was safely inside the apartment's front doors before driving away.

* * *

Gray arrived home well after dark. He closed the apartment door and sighed. It was good to be home. Taking off down the hall, he entered the bedroom, already mostly stripped. He couldn't wait to get into bed.

He laid down beside Natsu, waking him.

"You're home," Natsu said, "Did you find them?"

"Yeah," Gray said, "Levy was right. They're in Onibus for now. I made sure they have to stay there for at least another day. It sounds like they're going to try Kunugi next, which is good because it's in the opposite direction. The girls are safe for now."

"I just finished talking to Levy," Natsu said, "She's working on getting some information about the gold bars. She's enlisted the help of that guy from the library, Gajeel."

Gray scoffed, "That buffoon? He might be a cop, but he's a total dunderhead. Why would she trust _him_ with her biggest secret?"

Natsu couldn't help laughing, cuddling his kitty into his side, "I think someone's jealous!"

"I'm not jealous," Gray protested, "There's nothing but raw attraction between Levy and I. It hasn't developed into anything yet. I'm just not comfortable with that big ape knowing the details of this mission, cop or not."

"We need to trust Levy," Natsu stated, "I think she's smart and a good judge of character and if there's information out there, Levy will find it."

Gray gave in for now. He didn't feel like arguing, "So what about Lucy and Erza? What did they do today?"

Natsu rolled his eyes, "They got into wine bottles. I'm really starting to dislike alcohol. It makes people really weird. I'm tired now. Sooo ready for sleep…"

Gray turned and looked at Natsu, frowning.

"Natsu…what the hell is wrong with your face?"

"Levy said the same thing," Natsu sighed, "The girls decided I'd be a good model for them. I have makeup on and they did my hair."

Gray started to laugh, jumping out of bed to turn on the light.

"OH MY MAVIS!" he howled, "That's hilarious! You're so getting a new nickname – Angel of Bad Make-up…or Angel of Dumbass for _letting_ them do that to you!"

Natsu grunted, turning onto his side, facing away from Gray, "I can't get it off. I have to wait until the girls wake up in the morning. Levy refused to help me. She said it was 'payback' for what I did at the café when she was with Gajeel."

Gray didn't even hear that comment. He was too busy killing himself laughing. He turned off the light and came back to bed, but the laughter didn't stop, much to Natsu's annoyance. It was a loooong time before he actually got to fall asleep. Even then, he was pretty sure Gray laughed all night long in his sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

Natsu didn't sleep well at all. It was still dark out when he got up to use the bathroom, noticing that Gray had properly passed out.

There was no point in trying to go back to sleep. He found himself out on the balcony, watching the dead silent neighbourhood. He sighed, thinking about how the streets of Magnolia were definitely a lot more interesting during the day. Still, the silence was majestic in a way. He found it peaceful.

A noise caught his attention. The glass doors on the patio next to him opened up and Lucy stepped out.

"Luce?" Natsu asked, "What are you doing up?"

"Natsu!" Lucy whispered, "I could ask you the same question."

They met at the 2 foot gap between their balconies, arms outstretched. Their hands were touching, but they were unable to embrace due to the 2 foot gap between them.

"Are you okay, Luce? Please tell me you're not going to be sick."

She shook her head, "I'm okay. Thanks for getting me the glass of water before bed. I think the aspirin might have saved me."

"So what are you doing out here?" Natsu asked.

"I had a nightmare," Lucy said softly, "I just needed some air. I think the wine gave me nasty dreams."

"What was it about?" Natsu asked.

She sighed, "It's complicated, Natsu. But this one was a bad one. I still can't stop shaking."

She was right. Her body vibrated as she worked to calm herself down.

"You need a hug," Natsu stated, "But I can't reach you from here."

"Natsu? Do you think you could come over? Just until I fall asleep again?"

He blushed instantly, "In your room?"

"Well, yeah...that's were I sleep."

He paused, not sure what to think.

Lucy glanced at him. She couldn't see his face well in the darkness. She hoped he wasn't freaking out. She realized this would be the first time he would be invited into a girl's room, even if her intentions were just to tell him what was bothering her, then let him comfort her so she could sleep.

"Meet me at the front door," he whispered.

She tiptoed through the apartment, trying not to wake Erza and slid the bolts unlocked. Taking his hand immediately, they edged quietly to her bedroom.

She stretched out on the bed and reached out her hand, beckoning him to join her. He paused, then laid beside her on his back, rigid as a board. She shifted her weight into his side, lifting his arm and placing it underneath her body and around her torso. Natsu started to sweat at the intimate position. Her head was on his chest, her other arm stretched across his torso. Her head was tucked underneath his chin. They'd cuddled before, but fully dressed and in public! He was in his boxer shorts, for crying out loud.

 _Didn't think that one through, didja Angel of Oops?_

Natsu nodded, trying to keep his emotions from spilling over again. It did _not help_ when Lucy swung her leg over top of his. His eyes widened in alarm as he realized he was getting 'turned on'. He had had a conversation about that once with Gray. The conversation turned extremely awkward for both of them _very_ quickly and Gray made him swear not to bring it up _ever again_. Gray told Natsu if he wanted to know more, he should ask Erza to explain it to him. Natsu didn't dare.

"I have a secret, Natsu," she began, interrupting his thoughts, "And I'm afraid to tell you because I'm worried you won't want me anymore."

"I'll always want you," he whispered, seriously struggling to breathe. He loved the feel of her soft hair on his chest, the way her breath warmed his skin, the sensation of hugging her close to his body in very, _very_ little clothing. _Oh Mavis, how I want you._

She took another deep breath, "I left home when I was 16. Levy was one of the maids in my dad's mansion, but we were best friends. He hit me when I refused to marry some guy that he'd hand-picked for me. That guy's name was Dan Straight. Dan was furious when my father hit me and he took Levy and I away from the mansion to live with him…where my father couldn't hurt me anymore."

She paused. Natsu forced himself to concentrate on her words, trying to buy into the anger that coursed through his veins when he heard Lucy's father had hit her. It would be better to be angry than 'turned on' right now.

"Take your time," Natsu urged, "I'm here to listen."

She started making circles on his chest with her finger, "Dan was good to us at first, but it wasn't long before he got aggressive. We were dating and he thought he owned me. Levy and I escaped and we've been running ever since. That's the short version. Another time, maybe in the daylight, I'll tell you the long version. Anyway, in the nightmare, Dan had found us and he had a gun to your head."

Natsu stroked her hair soothingly, "You said you'd run away with me if the people came for you again. when I brought you to your room last night. That makes more sense now."

"It was so real. Reality is that Dan _could_ catch up to me again. He won't like that...we're together. I thought you were going to die in the nightmare. I was so scared."

"I'm okay, Luce. I'm right here. It was just a dream. Dan isn't going to come between us. I won't let him."

She was quiet for a long moment, "Thank you, Natsu."

He kissed the top of her head. She lifted her face, pressing her lips to his. He kissed her back longingly. They hadn't spent enough time together this week. He'd really missed her.

"Please don't go tonight," Lucy whispered against his lips, "Stay with me. I just really need you nearby."

"Lucy," he whispered back. Part of him was telling him to run. The emotions inside were raging and he couldn't identify them all. He wanted to stay with her. He wanted to _touch_ her. The conflicting turmoil inside him was driving him nuts.

She kissed him again, outlining his lips with her tongue, then pulled away, pushing her face into his shoulder, "I'm falling in love with you, Natsu."

All thoughts of being 'turned on' ceased and desisted. Those seven words were the most precious thing Natsu had ever heard. In that moment, he felt himself melt. Could it seriously be true? Could she fall in love with _him?_ If she could, she was the only one in the universe who had ever had feelings for him. Natsu knew that his feelings for her were getting deeper by the day too.

 _You can't. It's forbidden. You can NEVER have a relationship with Lucy._

He pushed the thoughts away, lifting her face gently and reclaiming her lips. This kiss was different from all the others. There was a bit of desperation to it, a bit of question, and a bit of awe. Her hands went into his hair, pulling slightly. By the time she pulled away slightly for air, he knew he could never leave her. It was true. Lucy returned his feelings.

"I'll do what it takes to keep us together," he whispered, "If we need to run, we'll run. I'll find a way to take care of Dan. He won't hurt you ever again."

She choked back tears, "I'll do whatever it takes too," she promised.

"I'm pretty sure I'm far past the point of falling, Luce," Natsu admitted nuzzled her neck, "I honestly love you."

She had tears in her eyes, "Why would you want me? I'm mixed up, scared, and alone."

He chuckled a bit, kissing her eyelids, "You're no more mixed up, scared, or alone than I am. I have nothing to offer you. Why you'd choose me is beyond my comprehension. Maybe if we faced the world together, it wouldn't seem so scary. We fit together. I don't ever want to lose this feeling. I will do everything in my power to make you happy."

She sighed happily, pulling him into another long, tender kiss. She slid her hand over his bare shoulder. Crazy amounts of emotion bombarded Natsu, making him wonder if he would faint again. She kissed the crook of his neck, sending shivers all the way down his body. He had to stop this. He was getting lured into whatever she was doing…and he just wasn't ready. The 'turned on' feeling was coming back...and he really didn't want to ruin the moment with his inexperience.

He stilled her hand, intertwining their fingers and moving them safely to his side, "Go back to sleep, Luce. I won't go. I promise."

She curled into him as close as she could and laid her head back down on her his chest.

"Thank you, Natsu," she yawned.

Natsu had to work to get his body to calm down as he listened to Lucy's soft breaths. She was asleep now. His neck still burned where she'd kissed him. He'd never had such intense emotions before and he was actually _quite_ shocked that he didn't faint.

His face was narrowed into deep thought. He loved her with every fibre of his being. He meant what he said. If they needed to, they would run…from Dan _and_ Heaven. The only thing that mattered to him was being with Lucy.

* * *

Erza stirred, slowly blinking her eyes open and trying to get her bearings. Plue was sleeping on the floor beside her, kissing her hand as she woke up a bit.

 _Oh! I'm in Lucy and Levy's apartment_ , she realized. That's right. Last night, she and Lucy had had a few glasses of wine and Erza had learned the depths of Lucy's feelings for Natsu. She sighed, acknowledging the nasty headache she had.

She glanced over to the coffee table, recognizing Lucy's phone, a wicked grin breaking out on her face. She'd have to get a copy of that picture. It would be amusing to show to a few select people in Heaven when they went back.

She slowly sat up, trying to make the room stop spinning.

Levy came out at that moment, giving the red-headed woman a sympathetic smile as she made some coffee.

"Rough night?" Levy teased.

"Actually, I think it was a _good_ night," Erza said, still holding her head, "Lucy and I had a good chance to bond."

"Good," Levy smiled, "I have news too, but let's wait until everyone else gets up and you feel a bit better."

She poured some hashbrowns into a frying pan, "Lucy will need some breakfast today," she explained, "When she's been drinking, a good breakfast usually helps her right away."

"Perhaps I would appreciate some too," Erza said quietly, "I can't remember the last time I allowed myself to drink like that."

Levy nodded, bringing Erza some of her fresh coffee, "I think what you did to Natsu last night is hysterical. I really hope you got a picture."

Erza grinned, reaching for Lucy's cell phone, but she couldn't figure out how to make it go on. She held it out to Levy.

Levy took it from her, clicking it on and bringing up Lucy's pics. She leaned over to the couch so they could both view. They both cracked up.

There was a knock at the door. Levy excused herself to answer the door, figuring it was Gray since he wouldn't have known where Erza was. She knew he'd arrived last night, but he didn't come to the apartment to check in when he got home.

"Good morning," he yawned, "Thought I'd come see what's going on over here, since my apartment is empty."

Levy nodded, laying out bacon on a cookie sheet and throwing it in the oven. She stirred her hashbrowns, then used a second frying pan for eggs.

"You want some breakfast?" Levy asked as he sat down at the kitchen table. Erza slowly heaved herself from the couch, joining Gray at the table, coffee in tow. Levy poured Gray a coffee too.

"Wait – the apartment is empty?" Erza back tracked, "I spent the night here, but where's Natsu?"

"Sometimes he goes for a run when he can't sleep," Gray shrugged, "He'll be fine. He'll figure out where we are when he gets back...and yes please, Levy."

"So," Erza kept her voice low, "Did you find Dan and Samuel?"

Gray nodded, "They're still in Onibus and will be for at least this morning. I slashed their tire to slow them down. It looks like they're going to try Kunugi next."

"Good," Erza said slowly, "Because Kunugi is large and it will take them some time to search it."

Levy flipped her hashbrowns again, then checked the bacon, triumphantly pulling the pan from the oven and placing it on the counter. The delicious smell permeated the air, making them all groan…that smelled _good_.

She placed plates and cutlery for five on the table, hoping someone would take the hint and set the table. Erza and Gray both helped, mouths watering.

"I'll go knock on Lucy's door and let her know there's breakfast. I hope her hangover isn't _too_ bad," Erza said, already feeling better with her coffee and the anticipation of breakfast. She stalked off down the hall.

"How are you doing, Gray?" Levy asked, "It's…been a few days now. Are you okay?"

Gray nodded, looking down at his coffee cup, "I'm good, Lev," he broke out into a cocky smile, "Miss me?"

She blushed, "Maybe."

They could hear Erza knocking a bit more forcefully on Lucy's door when she didn't get an answer with the soft knock.

Gray exchanged a smile with Levy as they heard her announce she was coming in. Poor Lucy was in for a rude awakening.

* * *

Lucy woke up in absolute bliss. Waking up in Natsu's arms was by far the most amazing feeling in the world. She was curled into Natsu's body, his arms wrapping her tightly to him. She knew Natsu was fit, but his body was amazing. She didn't often see him without a shirt on. She ran a finger over his chest muscles, realizing she was probably tickling him. But he didn't move. Marred makeup was all over his face and she couldn't help giggling. He looked awful.

A giant weight had lifted from her shoulders after telling Natsu about Dan. Somehow, she felt now that he knew, things would be okay. He wasn't going to leave her alone.

She shifted her weight so that she could examine his face, loving the contours and definition of his cheekbones. He was a really handsome man – even with the very bad makeup job. Her eyes traveled down his face to his neck. There was a criss-crossed scar on his neck. She leaned down and kissed the scar. She'd ask him later how he got it.

He groaned, tightening his hold around her waist.

 _He liked that_.

Mischievously, she licked underneath his ear, then sucked the spot gently for a moment. His hands moved up to her hair, stroking her softly.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Hmmmm…" was his response.

She continued to kiss his neck and his ear area.

Natsu's body was freaking out. Sensations ran through him rampantly. He wanted to respond to her, but he wasn't sure how. He moved his head, giving her better access. It felt so _good._

Finally, he turned his head again, capturing her lips. He flipped them so that Lucy was on her back. Leaning in so that his body hovered above her, he deepened the kiss, brushing her arm with his fingers gently.

"I wanna wake up like this forever," he whispered.

That was when they heard Erza's knock at the door. Both of their eyes shot open, now fully awake.

"Oh crap!" Natsu panicked, diving behind her bed.

Lucy quickly rearranged the blankets around her and slammed her head into the pillow, pretending to be asleep.

"I'm coming in!" Erza announced.

She opened the door, strolling in and sitting on the bed. Natsu scrambled under the bed, wishing he could use _transparency_ , but how would he explain that to Lucy?

"How are you feeling, Lucy? Any ill effects from the wine?"

"I'm okay," Lucy said, "I took some ibuprofen before bed."

"Smart," Erza groaned, holding her own head, "I think I'll end up at home in my own bed sooner than later. But Levy made breakfast. Thought I'd let you know."

Lucy nodded, smiling, but she didn't move from the bed.

"Lucy? Are you coming for breakfast?"

"Yeah – I just need a few minutes to get dressed," Lucy said quickly.

Erza nodded, leaving the room, "Sounds good."

Natsu popped up the second the door shut and they both giggled.

"That was _really_ close," Lucy whispered, "I mean, we'll have to tell everyone eventually…"

"But not yet," Natsu finished for her, "I want as much time with you as I can get without interruption or comments from them...Gray in particular."

Lucy nodded, reaching for him. He took her into his arms, straight into a deep kiss as they both kneeled on the bed, inching their bodies closer.

"How do I get the makeup off, Luce?"

She giggled, reaching for her makeup remover, "Just dab with a wet cloth," she instructed.

"I want to spend the day with you," he whispered, "Refuse any plans that come up. We can meet at the park."

She nodded, "How are you going to get out of the room?"

"Don't worry about me," he whispered, taking her in for another long, delicious kiss, "I'll be fine."

She grinned, grabbing shorts and a t-shirt, "I have to change first."

He blushed, looking away.

"I'll go to the bathroom," she assured him, kissing his lips one last time, "I'll see you at the park…1/2 hour, okay?"

He nodded enthusiastically. When the door closed, he flitted into the shadows, exiting the window to his own apartment.

She opened the door again, entering quickly, "I forgot my –".

She looked around in confusion. The room was completely empty.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Sorry for the late update! Today was the estate sale of my late Grandmother.**_

 _ **Successful day, but I really cannot load a chapter from my cell phone. I'll make up for it...promise.**_

* * *

Lucy helped herself to more hashbrowns, wondering if Natsu would show. He _must_ be hungry. There was no knock at the door. She had to hurry or he'd be waiting for her at the park.

"Ugh," Levy said, "Gotta work soon. You guys can handle clean-up, right?"

"No problem," Gray said, "It's the least we can do. Thank you for breakfast."

"I shall assist as well," Erza started stacking the plates, "Between the 3 of us, it will be no problem."

"Actually," Lucy said slowly, "I have to run an errand in town. But I'm on dish detail next time for sure."

She excused herself, heading for the door quickly. Plue whined a bit. She had forgotten to take him out.

"She's meeting Natsu," Levy sighed.

"Yup," the other two immediately agreed.

"I actually _do_ have to go to work," Levy grabbed Plue's leash, "Do you mind terribly? I'll take care of the dog if you can take care of the dishes."

"Don't even worry about it," Erza said, "It was a delicious breakfast. Thank you."

Levy took her key off of her key ring and placed it on the counter, "If you could lock the door when you leave please?"

"Got it, Lev. Just go take Plue out. He's turning yellow," Gray laughed, "We'll take care of the rest."

* * *

Lucy ran the entire way to the park. Natsu was sitting at the top of the slide, waiting patiently. He slid down to meet her, immediately enveloping her in a tight hug. His face was mostly clean now. His hair was back in its' usual untamed manner.

"You made it."

"It wasn't easy. I almost got suckered into dish detail," she confessed.

"So who ended up stuck with it?"

"Erza and Gray," Lucy snickered, "I left before they could commandeer my services."

He laughed.

"I wasn't going to be late for the day I've been looking forward to all week," she said, hugging him closely, "I really want this day with you."

"I want it too, Luce," he whispered against her lips.

A mother came to the park with her children. Natsu took Lucy's hand and dragged her off toward the town.

"Let's just walk…see what we come across."

She allowed him to intertwine their fingers, falling into step with him, "Sounds good to me."

* * *

Breakfast was cleared up. Gray and Erza were sitting at the table, drinking the last of the pot of coffee. Levy had already booted out the door to work.

"I don't know what to do about Natsu and Lucy," Erza said quietly.

Gray nodded uncertainly.

"I don't want to intervene," he sighed, "They're so happy together."

Erza frowned, "I too like them together. It seems unfair that she's finally found someone she really cares about…and it's forbidden…and she doesn't even know it."

"I'm open to suggestions," Gray finished his coffee, "Because I don't want to be the one to tell Natsu that it has to be over. I've already suggested it to him and his reaction was really pathetic. The guy almost cried. He already loves her."

"There is no good solution," Erza said sadly, "I'm afraid of the consequences of an intervention. I'm afraid of what will happen if don't do anything at all. At this point, I honestly believe they'd react by disappearing together. I asked her flat out what she'd do if she had to run again and that's exactly what she told me - she'd run with Natsu."

Gray nodded, thinking along the same lines.

"My head hurts," Erza groaned, "I need to go back to bed."

"Levy said Gajeel is doing some ground research for her today. I'll go hang out at the library and see if anything interesting comes up."

* * *

Natsu made googly eyes and a goofy, half-smile.

A flash went off.

Lucy was killing herself laughing, "Come on, Natsu! Be serious! I want one good photo!"

They were stopped at a photo booth in the mall. This was their 3rd set. The first set, Natsu couldn't stop examining the photo booth camera. He was enamoured with the idea that it would catch their image and print it in seconds. The 2nd set, he'd figured out how it worked and was laughing too hard at the 1st set to actually get a good picture, which made her laugh throughout both sets.

He sat beside her and took her hands, looking deep into her eyes. For a moment, Lucy forgot they were in a photo booth. She gazed back at him. The flash went off.

"Okay, that _might've_ been a good picture," Lucy grinned, "Again."

He kissed her, resting his forehead against hers when the flash went off the second time.

"One more," she whispered, loving their intimate position, "Facing the camera."

They squished their faces together, both smiling as the flash went off the last time.

This was Natsu's favourite part. He bounded outside the booth to wait for the pictures. She laughed, joining him. Natsu bounced up and down like a little kid as he waited for the photos to pop out. They looked at their poses. The first one, of course, was just goofy, but the rest were actually pretty good. Lucy ripped the reel in half, giving Natsu the top two pictures.

"Again!" he said excitedly, bouncing into the booth.

She laughed, "We've done three sets! Let's go do something else!"

"Fiiiine," Natsu sighed dramatically, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the next area of the mall.

They stopped at the top of the escalator. People were lined along the rails, looking down below. There was a singer. She was young, very beautiful and her voice was amazing.

"I wish I could sing like that," Lucy said, awed by the magnitude of her voice, "It's so beautiful."

Natsu wasn't looking at the singer. He was watching Lucy. _She_ was beautiful.

It was then that he noticed a man walk up behind a lady. He snatched her purse and started to run – directly toward Lucy.

Natsu shoved Lucy out of the way and braced himself, colliding with the man as shouts erupted in the crowd.

Natsu didn't think twice when he saw the fright in Lucy's eyes. He threw his body at the would-be thief and forced the man down to the ground.

The mall police hurried over, thanking Natsu. Then suddenly there was a camera in his face. Natsu smiled and waved at it.

"That rescue was cool, cool, cool!" the reporter exclaimed, "How did you know he'd run straight to you? And what made you decide to intervene?"

Natsu blushed, looking down at his feet a little, "It wasn't his purse. Based on the fact that he was looking backwards while he was running instead of paying attention to where he was going, it wasn't that hard to make sure he ran into me."

"Weren't you scared? I mean, what if he had a gun?" the reported asked.

Natsu cocked his head, "It didn't occur to me to be scared. I reacted to keep my friend safe."

The reporter shook his hand, asked a few of the bystanders their views on the incident, then disappeared into the crowd.

The mall police had the suspect hand-cuffed and were getting him off the ground. Real police were pushing through the crowd. The lady who owned the purse made her way through the crowd.

"Thank you," she said, retrieving her purse from the mall police.

"It's no problem," Natsu said nonchalantly, "I'm glad you got your purse back."

She glanced at Lucy, "You have a very special young man there."

Lucy nodded, "Thank you...I know."

Natsu immediately searched Lucy's face. She wasn't scared anymore, but she didn't hesitate to throw herself into his arms for a warm embrace.

"Are you okay?" they both asked at the same time.

"You're going to be on TV!" Lucy told him as they walked away. People were patting him on the back and calling out 'Way to go!' and 'Well done!'.

Natsu held up his side of the pictures they'd taken, "I hope the camera got my good side...like in these pictures."

Lucy giggled, "You're funny, Natsu."

He grabbed her hand again, "Well, that was fun. Let's see what else we can do!"

* * *

Levy was knee-deep in books. Apparently, a lot of books had come in from the book drop. She worked through them methodically, trying not to glance over at Gajeel. It was Gajeel's task today to check the stability of a large shelf opposite the ones he'd installed the other day.

Gray watched from the shadows, rolling his eyes at their attempts to act natural. Freed barked orders to Gajeel, who completed his bidding without complaint.

Gajeel walked across the room to get a hammer, leaning in to Levy as he passed, "I'll check everything out tonight," he whispered, continuing on his way without stopping, "Meet me for coffee. Same place as last night…the first time."

Levy blushed, but didn't say anything.

"Get him to check on Dan's whereabouts again, Lev," Gray whispered.

"Gajeel!" she hissed as he passed by, "Can you run this name for me tonight too? I just need to know where he is and how far he is from Magnolia."

She scribbled on a piece of paper, handing it to Gajeel before turning back to her books.

"No problem, Shrimp," he muttered, continuing to move. Freed glanced over, but the two of them were doing their own thing.

Gray gave a low growl. Levy had said she'd enlisted Gajeel's help, but Gray wasn't sure if Gajeel was trustworthy. He seemed more interested in flirting shamelessly with her.

Levy went to the back room to gather some books that needed to be re-spined, "I know you're there, Gray."

He appeared in front of her briefly, just to confirm her suspicions, then flitted back into _shadow_.

"If he can help us find out what the gold bars are, I say we trust him," Levy said under her breath as she stacked the trolley, "Gajeel has been a good friend to me."

Gray didn't say anything. If he did, he risked being heard. Plus, Levy would kick him into next week if he expressed his real opinion. But he had every intention of following Gajeel that night to the police station, regardless of whether Levy approved.

* * *

Lucy and Natsu were sharing a strawberry milkshake at the food court. They'd been around almost the entire mall now. Natsu found that being at the mall with Lucy was even better than being there with Gray. He loved her company. They made each other laugh constantly.

He knew he was staring at her. He wondered if he knew all her secrets now. He wondered how she'd take it if he told her _his_ secret. How could he even bring it up to her? He thought about blurting it out: 'Hey – guess what – I'm an Angel!' But he was pretty sure that would likely freak her out. He supposed he could show her, but that would be breaking the rules. Of course, falling in love with her was breaking the rules. Natsu let out an unconscious sigh. He couldn't win.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, breaking him out of his reverie.

"That story you told me last night…Dan…did you love him?"

Lucy looked uncomfortable for a moment, then looked him in the eye, "There was a time I thought I did. Now that I look back on it, I think it was more fear. I'd been kicked out of my house. Whether my dad cared that I was gone or not, it was still my home. I had no place to go. Dan offered shelter, but then he got scary too. It's not love when one partner gets violent."

"I'm sorry, Luce. I can't imagine how hard that must have been."

She shrugged, "It's over now. I will never forget the look on Dad's face though. Dad brought Dan into the room like he thought I'd be thrilled about an arranged marriage or something. It was later that night that he figured out…" her voice trailed off.

Natsu reached across the table for her hands, "You don't _have_ to tell me. But I'll listen. If you want me to."

She regarded his face, so full of innocence and concern. He was quickly becoming her everything. She realized she needed to trust him with everything if there was any hope of their relationship becoming deep and honest.

"When I was 8," she started slowly, "My mother gave me a set of keys just before she died. She told me that she needed me to keep them from my dad no matter what. To me, an 8-year-old child, it was the last thing she ever gave me. I kept her secret and I didn't tell anyone but Levy that I had them. They were a source of comfort to me. Whenever I was sad or lonely, I'd take out the keys and somehow feel like my mother was watching me."

He squeezed her hand gently, encouraging her to go on, but only if she wanted to.

"I left home when I was 16. That night, my dad found me in my room after he struck me. I was playing with the keys for comfort. He went ballistic when he saw the keys. He attacked me, hitting me over and over. I had a death grip on the keys. He couldn't have them...they were all I had left of my mother. Levy barged in and was able to hurt him enough that we had a chance to escape. Dan happened to be leaving the estate and he said we could go to his house for safety. You know the rest of that story."

"Do you know what the keys are for?" he asked softly.

She nodded, "Mama told me that it's for a storage unit in Crocus. She gave me an address, but Levy and I burned it right away. I didn't want to know what's in there. I don't know that Mama knew what was in there."

"Why didn't you want to know?" Natsu moved his chair closer to hers.

"Because I think I already know," Lucy said slowly, "There's a very good reason why he wanted the keys, Natsu…why Porla and my father wanted each other dead…and ultimately why my mother died before her time."

A dark shadow twitched in Lucy's eyes. She went silent.

Natsu watched with wide open eyes as Lucy took a deep breath, willing herself to continue.

"Luce?" he asked softly.

Tears were beginning to brim her eyes, "Can we stop now, Natsu?"

He squeezed her hands, a conflicting wave of disappointment and sadness as he saw her struggle. He wanted her to continue, but not to the point that he was willing to hurt her by pressing for it, "I would never push you to tell me something you aren't ready to tell," he said softly, "But remember that I'm here for you. I will always listen to you."

She smiled. It wasn't her usual genuine smile, "Thank you."

"Let's go do something fun. We still have another hour before we should head home," Natsu suggested, "There's mini golf in this end of the mall, right?"

She nodded, her smile brightening.

Grinning like a little kid, he pulled her to her feet, "I'll be better at this than laser tag, Luce – you're going down!"

* * *

An hour later, they started walking for home. Natsu was once again eating humble pie.

"I don't care," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist, "I just wanted to spend time with you anyway. It's been a good day."

She grinned, "Sometimes I think you _let_ me win."

He threw his hands up in mock innocence, "I wouldn't do that!"

"Uh huh," Lucy rolled her eyes. "Oh! I almost forgot!

Lucy stopped, reaching into her purse, an embarrassed smile crossing her face, "I got you something. I saw it and I thought about you."

He was grinning ear-to-ear as he saw the wrapped package presented to him.

"You got me a present?" he asked in awe.

"I hope you like it," she replied.

"I've never had a present before!"

Nothing he said surprised her anymore.

They sat on a park bench as he unwrapped it in a flurry of tissue paper. As the object came into view, his eyes widened, getting moist around the edges.

It was a snow globe. There was a sculpture of an angel with her hand resting on top of the snout of a large, red dragon. Her white wings spread majestically behind her. They were looking at each other in a manner that suggested friendship and trust…maybe even love.

"You remind me of both," Lucy said softly, "You have the innocence of an angel and the strength of a dragon. I hope you like it."

"Like it…" Natsu whispered. He couldn't take his eyes off of it, "Lucy, I can't believe this is how you see me. It's…the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me," he swept her up into a deep, loving hug, "I love it, Lucy. It's my most prized possession. Thank you."

She giggled, "It's your _only_ possession! I've been in your room, remember?"

"I don't need other possessions," he said, leaning in to kiss her, "I have everything I need right here."

She kissed him back with every fibre of her being. At that moment, nothing could bring them down from their high.

* * *

Two towns over, Dan and Samuel were at another pub, drinking some import beer. The evening news was on overhead. Neither were paying much attention to it until a particular story came on from Magnolia…a botched purse-snatching. Dan couldn't care less about the purse-snatching – something else had caught his attention…the pretty blonde head of a girl he knew and loved very much. He grabbed Samuel's face, forcing it toward the TV and interrupting whatever tirade he was on. Samuel stopped mid-sentence, a slow smile appearing on his lips.

"Magnolia," Dan whispered.

Beside him, Samuel cracked his knuckles.


	31. Chapter 31

After Levy locked the door to the library for the night, she said good-bye to Gajeel, who promised he would meet her at the café at 8:00 with whatever information he could find. She waited for a few minutes after Gajeel left in his car, then found a place she could flit into the shadows.

"I know you're there, Gray!"

Gray became visible to her. That was a cool feature of _shadows_. Other Angels could appear to you if they wanted to. Or not. But there was no point in hiding from her. She knew he'd been watching all day.

"You're going to follow him, aren't you?" she accused.

Gray shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. Go home and check on Erza. I'll bet she's spent the entire day alone, not feeling well."

"No chance!" Levy exclaimed, "No chance I'm letting you follow Gajeel on your own!"

"Jeez, Lev…it's like you don't trust me with him."

"I'd be stupid to!" Levy exclaimed bluntly, heading for the police station.

He hurried to catch up to her, "You like him, don't you?"

"So what if I do?" she asked, flitting with enormous speed.

"You're asking for heartache. You'll end up in the same boat Natsu is…forbidden love."

She stopped so fast he almost ran straight into her back. They were in an alley where they could see the police station. She turned around, her face contorted with emotion. Gray hadn't seen this look from her before. She looked _hurt._

"Why would you say that so bluntly?" she asked, her voice slightly quivering, "Don't you think I _know_ that?"

He was trying to see past her despondent answer to the real motivation as to why his comment hurt so badly.

"I can't have anything more than friendship with Gajeel," she continued, "I accept that and I don't let myself think otherwise. But is it so stupid to even consider that love between an Angel and a human could ever exist? What about what's going on between Natsu and Lucy…is it a joke to you?"

"No," he denied, "That's not what I was saying at all. I'm terrified for Natsu and Lucy. And I want them to work out, even though I know it's impossible. I would do anything to see it happen. I just…don't want _you_ to get hurt."

Her tightened shoulders visibly relaxed, "I'm sorry, Gray. That wasn't fair of me. It's my own insecurities that are making me defensive. I worry for her, you know?"

He slumped against a building to the ground, "Yeah. I do. I worry for Natsu too. And it's _my_ insecurities that keep me from admitting that I feel things too. At least they know how they feel. There's no doubt in their minds. I don't have a clue how I feel about anything."

"I've noticed," she said softly, sliding down the wall beside him, "You're having a hard time with the Juvia thing, aren't you?"

"Sometimes," he admitted, "I want her to be happy, but I also can't forget all that we were to each other. I did the right thing, letting her go, right?"

"Yeah," she promised, "It was the right thing to do."

"Kinda sad for the two of us, though," Gray said softly, "It's not a nice prospect to be facing eternity alone."

She nodded, "At least you've had the opportunity to love."

He glanced at her, "What if we tried, Levy? I think you're pretty and smart and an amazing judge of character. I know the attraction is there. Couldn't we just...see?"

Levy's face contorted with confusion, "Gray...I think you're pretty great too..."

"Am I not attractive enough for you?"

"No! You are! That's not it at all."

"Is it my personality?"

Levy shook her head, "At first I thought you were a cocky bastard who didn't think about anything but yourself...but I've seen underneath. You care very deeply. You've been hurt, but you still give everything you've got to protecting your friends, even if you're discreet in the way you get it done to protect your icy reputation. Look how far you've come with Natsu. No, I admire you. I find it extremely attractive."

"Sooo..."

They exchanged glances.

"I need time," she said softly, "You have to remember I've never had the opportunity to be with someone before. I don't want to rush it. If it's meant to happen, it'll develop on its' own."

He nodded, "I'll accept that, Lev. We're already really great friends. Let's see where it goes. But I'm not going to stop flirting with you."

She giggled, blushing, "Be flirted with is actually really fun."

Gray returned the smile, "You're so pretty when you laugh like that."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh wow...that was wayyy too obvious."

They both laughed.

Gajeel's car pulled up across the street. He got out of the car and went into the station.

"Show time," Gray muttered. "We'll have to finish this later."

Levy nodded. They flitted across the street and entered the police station behind Gajeel.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy got home at dinner time and when they walked into Natsu's apartment, a phenomenal smell greeted them.

"You've been cooking!" Natsu grinned as he greeted Erza.

"Hmm…I spent quite a bit of time alone today since everyone was out and I got to watching the Cooking Channel," Erza said, stirring something in a large pot, "I hope you're hungry."

"Is it all strawberries?" Lucy teased.

Erza shot her a grin, "Of course not! That's for dessert!"

"No Gray or Levy?" Natsu called out, heading to his bedroom to put his snow globe on the desk beside the alarm clock – it would be the first thing he'd see every morning.

"No," Erza called back, reminding herself that Lucy was right there and she couldn't finish her sentence. She suspected they were following Gajeel since he said he'd do some sleuth work for Levy.

She poured some soup in a bowl, placing it in front of Lucy, then poured two more bowls for herself and Natsu.

"This smells heavenly," Lucy closed her eyes, inhaling the scent.

"It's Chicken Thai soup," Erza told her.

Natsu came and took his place at the table as well, "Wow Erza…this looks amazing."

All three of them sighed happily as they took their first bites.

"Where have you two been today?" Erza asked.

"We went to the mall," Natsu said, "It seemed like a good day to hang out."

Erza took another bite of her soup, "Cool. I woke up from my nap feeling much better."

Lucy smiled, "A little too much wine last night for sure."

"I need more!" Natsu announced, getting up for second bowl, "Seriously Erza…you can make supper _anytime."_

Erza beamed with the compliment. Being that eating wasn't necessary in Heaven, she found it fun to make something everyone would want more of.

"I need to take Plue out," Lucy said.

"Want me to come with you?" Natsu asked.

She shook her head, "Your soup will get cold. I'll be right back."

"Did you learn anything today?" Erza asked once the door closed.

"Lucy is really starting to trust me," Natsu reported, "She almost told me something really important today, but she's still scared. I'll spend tomorrow with her too since she has tomorrow off as well. She knows what's in the storage room and why, she said. But she couldn't tell me. Not yet."

"Good work," Erza looked away, wishing she could say _something_ to help Natsu and Lucy. It seemed Natsu was totally oblivious to the fact that she, Gray and Levy all knew what was going on.

"There's not gonna be any of this stuff left for Gray and Levy," Natsu announced, getting up for a third bowl.

"Leave _some_ for them, you pig!" Erza batted him with a cooking mitt playfully, "Besides! You should leave room for dessert."

Natsu took the third bowl anyway. He preferred spicy food to strawberries any day.

He sat down on the couch this time, flipping to the evening news, watching aimlessly as he ate his third bowl of soup. Lucy came back into the apartment and started helping Erza with the dishes.

"Hey Lucy!" Natsu said in excitement, "Look! We really DID make the evening news!"

Lucy and Erza rushed into the living room.

" _Based on the fact that he was looking backwards while he..."_ TV Natsu was saying.

The three sat on the couch and watched the rest of the story.

* * *

Gajeel was in deep concentration at the computer in the back office. He'd said hi to the guys that Levy saw the other night – Sting and Rogue – and continued to this office, shutting and locking the door behind him.

He started with running a search on Jose Porla's arrest. Levy was reading over his shoulder, Gray fidgeting nervously.

"So?" Gray asked impatiently.

The two of them had stayed in _shadow_ form so that they could talk freely without Gajeel hearing them.

"Jose was arrested for grand theft after a bank heist when Lucy and I were about 6," Levy said in a low voice, even though Gajeel wouldn't hear them, "But there was no evidence to hold him. They never found what he stole. An entire load of gold bricks. Shortly after his name was cleared the first time, the police found ties with Jude Heartfilia. The police interviewed Jude a few times – even searched his home, but again, no evidence was found to keep Porla locked away for good or to solidify ties to Jude. The police ended up nabbing Porla on drug offenses and sent him to jail that way after he got caught at a major drug deal that went bad. 4 people, including a cop died. He was sentenced to life. He swears to this day that he doesn't know where the gold bars are."

"There has to be more," Gray said, "There's too many gaps in the story."

Gajeel scrolled down to the next page. Levy leaned in, reading. She was so close, that even in _shadow_ form, Gray worried Gajeel would notice her.

"There's not," Levy said, scrolling with her eyes as fast as she could read.

Gajeel opened a new browser. He ran Dan Straight's name through the database, checking his latest banking transactions. There were 3 transactions in Onibus from the morning: a restaurant, gas, and a final payment for the hotel they'd stayed at …then a transaction in Kunugi…dinner at a pub. After that, there was a new transaction for a different hotel in Onibus.

Gray frowned. Why would they be back in Onibus? It wasn't possible they'd searched Kunugi already.

Gajeel checked his watch, shutting the computer down.

"Let's go," Levy was tugging at his shirt, "I have to meet him at the coffee shop at 8:00. He's shutting down now."

"I supposed that's one way we'll find out if we can trust him or not," Gray muttered.

"We'll see how much of the truth he tells to us. I think you should go tell Erza we need to make another trip to Crocus. We need to know what's in those gold bars," Levy suggested.

"I agree we need to go to Crocus, but there's no way in hell you're going to meet Gajeel alone. We'll have to have an Angels meeting after we meet Gajeel."

They flitted from the room.

* * *

Gajeel was about to shut the computer down after searching Dan's profile, but on impulse, opened the search again, entering JOSE PORLA. He had a suspicion Jude had a lot more to do with this than Levy knew. The whole story was odd to him. He searched into earlier history, before the gold heist. Porla had been in trouble with the law before. There was a drug bust that had stripped him of the base of his operation, rending him broke. He escaped the major bust since he wasn't there at the time. The police couldn't take him down then either. He figured that's why Porla dared to perform the heist in the first place...Porla had gone bankrupt.

His eyes narrowed. There was just wasn't enough information.

He typed in JUDE HEARTFILIA _._

 _Interesting,_ he thought to himself.

Around the time that the police had brought down the bulk of Porla's drug empire, Jude had a sudden influx of money. The police had watched Heartfilia for years, never able to prove their suspicions that he was doing anything illegal. He pulled the two histories and set them side by side on the screen. Every major event that went on in Porla's history had a corresponding event in Heartfilia's history. Sometimes it was to Jude's benefit, sometimes to Porla's.

 _A war...it's almost like they were constantly trying to set each other up._

He looked for common names. _Samuel Zentopia._ _Kari Luska._

He looked up Samuel, reading with increasing interest, then read about Kari Luska. It was indeed a rivalry. Porla and Heartfilia hated each other.

"Shit!"

He was out of time. He'd come back after his meeting with Levy to search these two names further, but he was beginning to seriously piece the story together. Lucy and Levy were pawns in the ultimate grudge war that _should have_ ended with Porla's imprisonment and Jude's death. But until the gold was found and the contents of the hollow bars exposed, the girls were in enormous trouble. Somehow, Gajeel also doubted Dan and Samuel were the only two the girls had to worry about.

* * *

Levy sighed heavily as Gray continued to follow her out of the station to the coffee shop. She stepped out of the shadows into solid form, finding a table in the back of the cafe. She glanced at the clock. 8:02 pm.

"Hey Shrimp," he greeted almost 5 minutes later, "You beat me here."

"Not by much," she promised.

He propped his elbows on the table, taking a drink of the pop he'd ordered.

"Whatcha got for me?" she asked.

"There's not a lot on the file," he said.

Levy's face fell. She could practically feel Gray's gloating from the _shadow_. She should have known he wouldn't be honest with her. He's a cop. He still didn't know if her story was true or not. Why would he believe her, let alone divulge everything he'd just found out on the file?

"The gold that Porla stole was never found," Gajeel continued, "The question is...if the gold in that storage locker fake...where's the rest of the load?"

Levy tried not to react, "You think there's another location with hidden bars."

"And that's not all," Gajeel said, "I think Dan is on his way here."

Levy gasped, her face turning pale.

Gray smacked the wall in the _shadow_. That would explain why they were back in Onibus tonight...if they somehow figured out they needed to look in Magnolia, they'd leave immediately from wherever they were.

Gajeel reached across the table, taking Levy's hand, "I'm not going to let anything happen. I'll find ways to keep Dan away from you. But I think we need to take a trip to that storage locker. Can you ask your friend to come to Crocus with us? I think it's time we find out what's in there and put a stop to whatever Dan is planning. I have no doubt it's connected."

Levy glanced at the _shadows_ uncomfortably, going a bit red due to the fact that she was holding hands with Gajeel. She knew Gray would be seething. Furthermore, she was now somehow stuck between the both of them and a trip to Crocus.

"Lucy...doesn't k-know I'm conducting my own investigation," Levy stuttered, "She likes it here. For the first time, she has found someone who really cares about her. If we can solve this...without her knowledge, that would be better."

"If we go to Crocus without her, she'll be unprotected if Dan finds her. Plus, we need her keys, right?" Gajeel asked.

Levy nodded, "I get her keys without her knowing."

Gajeel considered this, "You have a day off tomorrow and the next day, right?"

She nodded a third time. She was having one helluva time coming up with words.

"We'll stage a vacation," Gajeel told her, "Lucy doesn't have to know there's more to the story. She just needs to agree to come. Where does she work?"

"8-Island," Levy said slowly.

"Good," Gajeel nodded with approval, "Juvia's a childhood friend of mine. I'll go talk to her tomorrow so that she'll let Lucy leave for a few days."

He stood up, not letting go of her hand as she stood up as well.

"I'll drive you home, Shrimp. I wouldn't want _Natsu_ to kick my ass for having you out late."

Levy left with Gajeel, knowing Gray would have to flit home in the _shadows._ Just like last night, Gajeel waited until Levy was in the front door of the apartment before driving away.

Levy waited there. She knew Gray would not be far behind them.

Sure enough, Gray stormed in the doors moments later, "Let's go, Lev. We need to find a way to lose Lucy and have an Angels meeting. Now."

She didn't dare answer him as she followed him to the elevator. His fists were balled and his face was expressionless. He was ticked. She wasn't sure whether it was because Gajeel was openly flirting with her or if it was because there was a good reason to suspect that Dan was on his way to Magnolia. Things had suddenly taken a serious turn. Magnolia was large enough that it would take Dan a long time to search it, but that did not ease her mind.

Dan had found them again.

He was coming.


	32. Chapter 32

"I suppose I should go home and see how Levy's day has been," Lucy got up from the couch.

It had been a nice evening for sure. After the news broadcast, Natsu and Lucy recanted the story of the purse snatching to Erza, who praised them both. Afterward, they'd yakked about random things while eating Erza's dessert, also very delicious. Gray had gotten home about an hour ago, sitting with a blank expression for pretty much the rest of the hour.

"I'm tired," he said when Natsu teased him about looking 'stupider' than usual.

Natsu got up with Lucy to walk her to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, "We'll find something else fun to do."

She glanced over the living room. They were out of eye shot of Erza and Gray, so she raised to her tippy toes and kissed him quickly. He followed her out to the hallway.

"It was a good day," she whispered, "If you can get away sometime, come cuddle me."

He blushed, "Okay."

He watched until she closed her apartment door before returning to his own apartment, a ridiculous grin on his face.

Erza and Gray were in a deep discussion.

"C'mere Lover Boy," Gray said in a flat voice, noting Natsu's goofy face.

Natsu went red, but went to the living room.

"Levy is going to wait until Lucy is asleep and then she's coming over. Something happened tonight and we need to come up with a plan."

"I thought you were tired!" Natsu noted the expression on his face, realizing Gray just couldn't say anything in front of Lucy, "What happened?"

Gray shook his head, "Wait until Levy gets here. We'll explain it together."

* * *

It was almost 2 hours later when Levy arrived.

"Sorry," she said, "Lucy was excited about her day and told me about it in detail. Way to nab the purse thief, Natsu."

Natsu nodded, but didn't grin. Something was up. The tension in the air was thick.

They sat at the kitchen table.

"You know I had Gajeel check into a few things for me," Levy began.

Erza and Natsu both nodded. Gray scowled.

"Well, tonight he found out a bit about the history of Jose Porla's bank job and that he had ties with Jude Heartfilia. The gold bars Jose stole were never found. We know that Jude stole them from Jose, then Layla stole them from Jude."

"That cop, Gajeel…he's got it in his head that he's going to Crocus with Levy now to see the storage room for himself," Gray interrupted, "He wants Levy to go too, but he also wants Lucy to go."

"Why Lucy?" Erza asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Because Dan has turned around from Kunugi. We think he's heading to Magnolia," Levy said, the fear in her voice evident.

"What would make him suspect Magnolia all of a sudden?" Natsu questioned.

Erza's face drained of colour, "The TV report. He saw you on TV. There was a very clear shot of Lucy in the background.

"TV report!? What the hell, Natsu?" Gray stood up, slamming his hands on the table.

"I stopped a robbery today at the mall," Natsu half-yelled, "I didn't know being on TV would tell Dan where Levy and Lucy are! I didn't _ask_ to be on TV! The reporter was just _there!_ "

" _Angel of Oops_ strikes again!" Gray practically shouted, stalking over to shove his face three inches from Natsu's. Levy tensed. Gray was going to hurt Natsu, "Seriously, Natsu! You are so –"

"Enough!" Erza intervened, whacking both boys on their heads. Both sank to the ground, groaning.

"That _hurt_ , Erza!" Natsu groaned as he sat back into his chair, "Gray was the one who was going to hit me. Why did I get hit?"

"Because you're a moron!" Gray shot back, also sitting his seat.

"I SAID ENOUGH!" Erza shouted.

Both boys went silent.

"So Gajeel wants to take Lucy and you to Crocus," Erza said slowly to Levy. They could see the cogwheels turning as she thought it out, formulating her plan as she recapped the facts, "so he can see what's in the locker himself. He knows the gold bars are there because Levy told him that already. He also knows that most of the bars are fake, which means there's a second location containing the remainder of original load. He wants Lucy to go so that she's not unprotected here while you're gone…and we have reason to believe Dan is on his way to Magnolia."

Both Levy and Gray nodded.

Erza started pacing back and forth. It always made Gray and Natsu nervous when she did that.

"I think you should agree to the trip," Erza said slowly, "Get Lucy and Levy out of here for awhile. Natsu and Gray, you go with them. Gray – in the _shadows_ , you keep an eye all of them. Natsu, since Gajeel has already met you, you'll need to keep Lucy busy while everyone else goes to the storage room. You'll go in solid form. I, in the meantime, will go find Dan and compel him to search this area of town first. If he searches it while you're gone, maybe it'll convince him that you're not here and he'll search another quadrant, eventually leaving Magnolia because he's convinced you're not here. From now on, Lucy and Levy go _nowhere_ unescorted. Lucy cannot even take her dog out alone anymore."

"Didn't you say you weren't going to intervene?" Natsu asked.

"Do you have a better plan?" Erza asked.

"No, yours is good," Natsu said, "Just asking if that's what you said."

Erza rolled her eyes. Gray snickered.

"We're going to crack a bar open this time too," Gray stated, "If Metal Head will allow one of the bars to leave the storage room, that is. Pretty sure I can't carry a gold bar in _shadow._ They're what…27 lbs each?"

Levy nodded, "You'll have to do it in _transparency._ I'm pretty sure Gajeel won't consent to taking one either, but he might do it himself inside the room. Who knows. _"_

"Why don't we go without that pierced freak?" Gray complained, "He's just going to be in the way."

Levy glanced at him, anger in her eyes, "That 'pierced freak' bent over backwards to give us information that we need. And he's willing to come with us _because he wants to help us_. He is a kind-hearted, amazing man who happens to be a cop…and we can use his help whether you like it or not! If _you_ don't want to be around him, _you_ can always stay here."

Natsu snorted his amusement, earning him a glare from Gray.

"After we know what's in the bars," Erza said, drawing their attention back to her, "Maybe it's time to confront Dan. Not you, Levy. We'll have the boys do it. I liked your idea of trading him the keys for the girls' freedom. If that will work, there is no reason to continue this any further."

Levy's eyes widened, "Don't confront him! Dan will never take that deal!"

The 3 others diverted their attention to her. Levy's chest was suddenly heaving like she'd just run 10 km. Her eyes were wide with fear. Gray recognized this look from times when Juvia went through it. Levy was having a panic attack.

"Lev?" Gray sat closer to her, gently rubbing her back in small circles to calm her down, "Relax, Lev…you're okay. You are not facing Dan alone this time. None of us will let him get to you. Do you hear me?"

She nodded, forcing herself to take deep breaths, "I'm sorry."

Natsu reached for her hand, squeezing it gently and ignoring Gray's glare...he was just trying to be supportive, "Can you tell us why he won't take the deal?"

Levy shook her head as she took another moment to catch her breath, "He's...capable of violence. We know that first hand. Do you remember, Gray, when you said you figured Lucy has been hit before? It wasn't only her Dad that hit her. Dan feels validated as Lucy's owner. He wasn't actually enraged when Jude hit her. He's obsessed with Lucy and acted the part to get her to come with him."

Natsu was cracking his knuckles, working to keep control of his temper.

"You all know that he won't stop coming for her. He'll take the keys, get what's in the storage room, and then come for Lucy. And he'll kill anyone who stands in his way. Lucy learned that...the hard way," she paused to take a deep breath, "When Dan fired me to separate me from Lucy, he hired another girl, Milliana, to be her maid. She tried to help Lucy escape too and was killed right in front of Lucy. She still blames herself for it. Dan is completely capable of violence. At this point, he doesn't care about the gold bars as much as he cares about Lucy coming back to him. He'll take the keys, and then he'll come for her."

"She's right," Gray hit the table in frustration.

"Then we'll find a way to incriminate him," Natsu said, "He must be doing something wrong. There's got to be a way to get him off the streets permanently. Erza, when you're helping him search the area, maybe you can find a way to get him arrested."

She nodded, "Possibly."

"Okay. So tomorrow, we let Gajeel approach Juvia. Apparently, they're old childhood friends," Levy said, "Then once Lucy is cleared to take a few days off work, we'll all head to Crocus."

"Except for me," Erza said, "I'll do everything in my power to stop him from figuring out our location."

The others nodded.

"Let's get to bed then," Erza stated, getting up, "The sooner you depart the better."

They said goodnight to Levy, then dispersed to their perspective rooms.

* * *

Natsu laid awake until he was sure Gray was snoring, then slipped out of bed, flitting through the shadows to the next apartment.

He entered Lucy's room and solidified.

Lucy was so beautiful. She was sleeping on her side, making no noise at all as she cuddled with a big fluffy pillow.

He could understand why anyone could fall in love with her. He loved her most of all. What he couldn't understand is why anyone would want to hurt her. Natsu knew Dan's obsession was only part of the story. There was the aspect of the keys and the storage locker too, but he couldn't even think about that right now. He felt an overwhelming pull inside him. He stopped to contemplate the emotion.

 _I need to protect her._

He sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed the hair back from her face. He had long since stopped caring that Heaven would not allow his relationship with her. He loved her. He would just simply refuse to leave her. He belonged with her far more than he'd ever belonged in Heaven. And as for Dan...well, he would never hurt her again. Natsu made a silent vow to her that he would protect her from the world, Dan, and Heaven. Because suddenly, there was a purpose to his existence. Now he'd had a taste of what love was. And he craved it.

She stirred, catching his hand with her own. Her eyes fluttered open.

"You came!" she grinned, sitting up so she could hug him.

She moved over on the bed and waited for him to lie down before curling her body around his. He held closely this time, anticipating the joyful feeling of being cuddled instead being afraid of the onslaught of emotions.

She put her head up for a kiss and he obliged her, cradling her head in his arms like it was delicate and precious. To him, it was.

"I love you, Natsu," she whispered.

"I love you too, Luce."

She yawned as she pressed her body as close to him as she could.

Natsu laid awake for a few more minutes, trying to deal with the myriad of emotions once again. Something about Lucy's touch made him feel better. It made him feel secure and protected. It was amazing that he'd assumed he'd take the role of protector. Even though she didn't know it, her very presence settled his inner turmoil and protected _him_. He didn't feel inadequate with her. He didn't feel like he was a big mistake...a joke for the entire universe to laugh at.

He realized he was squeezing her body to him when she lifted her head, running her hand down his face.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" she whispered.

He couldn't speak. He couldn't tell her about Dan. He also couldn't tell her about Crocus. She'd know about that in the morning.

Natsu didn't say anything as she peppered his face with light kisses.

"You comforted me last night. It's my turn to be here for you," she whispered, "I love you, Natsu. You can hold onto me as much as you want to."

He kissed the top of her head, the 'turned on' feeling returning for the twelfth time in the last 24 hours as she wrapped her leg around his.

"I'm good now that I'm with you," he promised, holding her as close as possible, "Just don't go anywhere."

She giggled softly, kissing his neck lightly, "I couldn't if I wanted to."

They both fell asleep this time, safely enveloped in each other's arms.

 **I'm going to hold off on posting for a few days. There's a site-wide problem with seeing reviews and posting replies to them.**

 **I love hearing from you and I just want you all to know if I _haven't_ replied to your review, it's probably because of this issue.**

 **Sorry ;(**

 **If you're dying for a story to read in the meantime, Celestial Heartbeat and its' sequel are both completed. :)**

 **I'm sure FanFiction is working on it! In the meantime, I'm going to stockpile pre-written chapters.**

 **Things are about to get more exciting...**


	33. Chapter 33

**YAY! Admin fixed the Review problems! Thank you for everyone who comments. I love hearing your thoughts and your guesses**

 **at what's going to happen next. I hope I'm throwing enough curveballs into it that it's not that easy to predict.**

 **NEW MONKEY WRENCH in the story this chapter.**

Early the next morning, Gray was in the shadows already. He'd woken up alone for the 2nd time in a row. Not that it bothered him. He definitely preferred having the bed to himself. He was considering moving onto the couch at home. Sharing a room for a few days was once thing, but Erza was showing no sign of moving on. However, he couldn't help but be curious as to why Natsu was missing from the bed 2 mornings in a row.

He was watching as Gajeel entered the restaurant to speak to Juvia about allowing Lucy to take a few days off to go to Crocus. His heart panged when he saw her, his old emotions quickly pushing out any acceptance he had managed to maintain after saying goodbye to her.

"It's good to see you," Juvia hugged Gajeel, "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," Gajeel said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. I've come to ask a favour. Can we go to your office?"

Juvia nodded, yelling at Cana to take over for her.

They entered the office and locked the door, both sitting, with half-grins on their faces.

"It's been awhile, Juves," Gajeel said, "How's it going?"

"I'm okay," she said with a deep sigh, "I finally took the plunge and gave Lyon a chance."

"How's that going?" Gajeel groaned.

Juvia shook her head, "I can't get Gray out of my mind, Gaj. I've tried everything. Lyon is furious with me right now because I still won't let him stay the night. We've done nothing but fight because he says I compare everything he does to how Gray did it."

"Do you?" Gajeel asked.

She paused, then nodded, guilt crossing her face.

Gajeel nodded toward some bruises on her arms, "You better tell me that came from something else other than Lyon."

Juvia went white.

"Son-of-a-bitch!"

"Gajeel, let it go!" Juvia warned.

Gajeel forgot about his original purpose of being there, slamming the door against the wall as he exited the office, storming across the street to the construction site he knew Lyon would be working at. He stalked inside the work zone, getting looks from surrounding workers. Juvia chased after him, screaming for him to stop. But Gajeel was on a mission.

Gray's heart pumped fast as he followed Gajeel, suddenly getting a whole new respect for the big oaf of a man. Gray was tempted to go solid and help him kick Lyon's ass. Anger flowed through his veins as he went into _transparency,_ following right behind Gajeel.

"LYON!" Gajeel roared.

Lyon was up in the scaffolding, welding a piece of metal. He looked down, "Hey buddy! What are you doing here?"

He jumped down.

Gajeel got right into his face.

"I'm gonna ask you once, Asshole...Where'd Juvia get the bruises?"

Lyon looked up into the bigger man's face, not cringing at all. He had grown to be semi-friends with Gajeel over the last years since Gajeel and Juvia had reunited. When Gajeel moved to Magnolia, Juvia had insisted Gajeel was her best friend and that being jealous was ridiculous. Lyon knew Gajeel and Juvia had been childhood friends in their foster homes and they pretty much had a sibling-like relationship. He'd always been a little leery of the large man's close friendship with Juvia. Even so, Gajeel was a softy underneath. His threats were idle.

"Wanna elaborate?" Lyon asked, "I really have no clue what you're saying."

"The bruises on her arm!" Gajeel thundered, "You've got _once chance_ to explain it to me and it had better be the freakin' truth, because I WILL KNOW if you're lying to me!"

"Keep your voice down," Lyon chided, "I'm at work! And I really don't need to be fired.

"Then you'd better tell me the truth the first time," Gajeel warned, "Because if you don't, the damage I cause will definitely get you fired!"

"Gajeel - no!" Juvia threw her body protectively in front of Lyon, "The bruises DID come from Lyon...but it was an accident! We had a fight and I almost fell backwards down the stairs. He grabbed my arm to save me!"

Gajeel studied her face, noting the small vein in her temple was not bulging. It was a tell-tale trait he'd noticed in her when they were kids. If it bulged, she was lying.

"He didn't do it purposely," he stated flatly, watching Juvia's reaction.

She shook her head, "We fight. All the time, but he's never hurt me purposely."

Gajeel's body relaxed and Lyon let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Sorry Lyon."

"I'm not going to tell you it's okay," Lyon seethed, "You stormed my place of work and caused a scene."

Gray was watching Juvia's face. She looked desolate. She wasn't happy at all...and it had nothing to do with what just happened.

"No harm done," Juvia said forcefully, "Let's go, Gajeel."

She took Gajeel's arm and started to walk away.

Lyon shook his head, "So that's it? You're not going to give him shit about it, Juvia? You're going to have to choose one day! I don't like your choice of friends!"

Juvia whirled around, "Gajeel has been there for me since I was a kid! You can't tell me who to be friends with, Lyon!" she paused, "And if you're going to give me the ultimatum, there _is no choice._ I think we made a mistake. I don't belong with you. You have never grown out of your selfish stage."

"I'm selfish because Gajeel sidelined me at work?" Lyon asked incredulously.

"No," Juvia shook her head, "Because this is how it's been working all week. You don't see me or care how I feel about anything. I thought that's what attracted me to you - how you used to put me first and asked my opinion and wasn't offended when it was different from your opinion. I was wrong. You've been driving it into my head for years that _he_ was the selfish one...that _he_ wasn't allowing me to be me. But the truth is, I was never more myself than when I was with Gray. And this last week has not been anywhere near as wonderful as you portrayed it would be. You cannot fill his shoes. And I really...can't be with you."

She turned on her heel and stalked away. Gray's eyes were wide in shock. He looked back to his brother, who had basically picked up his welding iron and gone back to work, proving he wasn't going to go after her and make it right. Gajeel had an arm around Juvia's shoulders and was talking in a low voice to her, telling her she did the right thing. Juvia wasn't crying. In fact, she was completely fine. She had though she loved Lyon...but maybe it was his connection to Gray that she loved.

Gray was touched at the scene. Gajeel really cared about Juvia...almost like a big brother. He found his respect for Gajeel completely altered at that moment. Oddly, Gray didn't feel jealous of Gajeel at all. Gray was impressed with how Gajeel was willing to fight for Juvia and even now, he talked to her in a low, comforting whisper. He thought back to his alive years. He'd never met Gajeel. Juvia often mentioned a childhood friend, but he didn't remember ever hearing her call him 'Gajeel'. He still wondered, even after Levy's speech, if perhaps he hadn't listened to Juvia the way he should have.

He also found it odd that when Levy had talked about Gajeel, he didn't make a connection between Gajeel and Juvia at all. If he and Juvia were childhood friends, something had separated them for a few years. Gajeel must have resurfaced after Gray's death if he knew Lyon.

Shaking off the revelations, Gray ran to catch up to Gajeel and Juvia.

"I didn't like him anyway," Gajeel stated as they walked.

"You never liked _anyone_ I dated," Juvia laughed. She paused, "But you would have liked Gray."

"I woulda wanted to kick his ass too," Gajeel pounded his fist against his other hand, "He hurt you."

Gray cringed, hating that he had to admit some of what Gajeel said was true. Juvia had been confused at the time of Gray's death. Lyon had been whispering things into her head...that he was selfish and didn't listen to her. No matter how much Lyon contributed to Juvia's mind, part of it was true. He resolved right then and there that if he was ever given a chance to love again, he would love that woman with everything he had. He would put her first. He never wanted to hurt another woman like he hurt Juvia ever again.

Gajeel stopped in his tracks, "Juves...you know Lucy and Levy both have a friend named Gray too, right?"

Gray face-palmed...what was it about this guy? Every time Gajeel said something Gray could respect, he'd turned around and say something that would piss Gray off.

She turned, "Yeah. I know. What about it?"

"Have you ever seen him?" Gajeel asked.

Juvia laughed, "I _almost_ saw him once. But not since. It's not the same Gray, Gajeel. There's more than one Gray in the world.

Gajeel harrumphed. Juvia was one of the few people in the world that could shut him up with a single sentence.

"So the real reason you came by this morning?" Juvia asked, trying to change the topic of conversation.

"Oh! I wanted to know if you could give Lucy a few days off. She already has the next two. I was wondering if she could have another two in addition," Gajeel stated, "I'm kinda dating her best friend and we thought we'd head to Crocus for a few days to have some fun."

Aaaaand respect for Gajeel was gone... _dating her best friend?_ Who the hell did this guy think he was?

"Gaj?" Juvia asked, linking her arm through his, "Can I come too? I suddenly feel the urge to get out of Magnolia for awhile."

"Hell ya," Gajeel grinned, "More the merrier. In fact, I could use your help with something...if you're willing to do a little sleuthing with me?"

"I'm intrigued!" Juvia's face lit into a smile.

Gray groaned, smacking his head against a wall. As if things weren't complicated enough. He was finally accepting that Juvia was out of his life! He never accepted Juvia with Lyon, but now she was single again...and going on a trip with Levy and Gajeel.

"I didn't sign up for this!" Gray reminded the Heavens. It was like he was constantly being tortured. Loving Juvia, losing Juvia, pining for Juvia, letting her go, learning to care for Levy as a possible future partner. And now Juvia's back. Sighing heavily, he decided he'd better go listen as Gajeel began to fill her in on the story. It would be important to know how much Juvia knew.

* * *

Natsu woke up slowly to a hand massage. Lucy rubbed small circles into his hand, stretching out the muscles.

"That feels good," he said softly.

She met his eyes and smiled slightly, "Good morning."

"I could get used to waking up with you," he smiled, "Good morning yourself."

She leaned down, kissing him gently on the lips. His hands reached up to cradle the sides of her face, deepening it. She straddled his hips as they kissed back and forth, hands wandering over each other's faces and shoulders. But no further. He was tensing.

Natsu was wrapped up in his emotions again, unsure of what to do and what was appropriate. Lucy sensed his hesitation and got off of him for a moment, helping him to a sitting position.

"You can touch me," she said softly, "I love you and I belong to you. Just like you belong to me. We can explore each other. But only when you're ready. If you're not ready, then we can just keep kissing. Whatever you're okay with."

He studied her face. There was an odd flush to it. Her hands were warm and sweaty.

 _Lucy is turned on too._

His eyes widened with wonder. She held his gaze as she traced his abs with finger. Tingling sensations ran through his body.

"Is this okay?" she asked softly.

He nodded, closing his eyes to enjoy the sensation of her rubbing her hands all over his torso. She got up on her knees so she could kiss his neck and ear area. He gasped.

"Are you okay?" she asked, backing off slightly.

He wrapped his arms around her lower back, "I…"

"Only what you're ready for," she said softly, their foreheads now pressed together.

He nodded, claiming her lips in a heated kiss.

"Lucy!" Levy called, opening the door. Immediately she flushed 1000 shades of red, as she realized the intimate position Natsu and Lucy were in, "Oh Mavis! I'm so sorry!"

She slammed the door shut again.

Natsu and Lucy started to laugh, both collapsing on the bed.

"I think our secret's out," Lucy sighed.

"Hmmm…guess we should get up," Natsu agreed.

"I'll go change in the bathroom," she said, gathering a few things, "Hey Natsu…how did you get out of the room yesterday? I came back and the room was empty."

He smiled awkwardly, relieved when she didn't wait for an answer. He waited for an extra minute after she left, then flitted back to his own apartment to get dressed.

* * *

"I knew something was up," Juvia said slowly, "Lucy never really made friends at work. She was friendly, but she didn't try to arrange after-work activities with her co-workers. I thought she was just shy or something."

Gajeel shook his head. Juvia was the one person in the world that he figured he could trust with the current situation. He knew she cared about Lucy, although she didn't know anything about Levy other than she was Gajeel's 'sort-of-dating' friend.

"So you'll let Lucy have a few days?" Gajeel asked hopefully, "And of course, you're welcome to come too."

Juvia nodded, "I don't want anything bad to happen to Lucy. I'm in."

"Now...I need a cover story to get us out of Magnolia," Gajeel groaned, "What can I do...tell them I won tickets to Crocus with an expiry date of this weekend?"

They exchanged glances, Juvia reaching for the phone and pulling out her credit card at the same time, "We'll use my credit card. No one will associate you or Levy or Lucy using my finances."

* * *

Natsu and Lucy met up in Natsu and Gray's kitchen for morning coffee with Levy, Gajeel and Erza. Gray kept to the shadows, knowing he couldn't appear in front of Juvia when she joined the group.

Gajeel came over only a few minutes ago and was standing in the hallway with Levy, much to Gray's annoyance.

Levy could not look at Natsu or Lucy. She knew they were close, but just how close were they?

Natsu looked at his feet as he realized Levy was avoiding his gaze. He felt pretty stupid. He would need to talk to her later...to explain.

Natsu and Gajeel shook hands like they already knew each other, but Gajeel introduced himself to Lucy and Erza. Lucy wondered about that, but quickly dismissed it when Gajeel held up 5 flight tickets and 5 brochures to a resort.

"Won 'em," he said, "But they expire by the weekend. If I'm going to use 'em, gotta do it now. So...anyone in?"

Levy and Natsu finally exchanged glances, praying that Lucy would be excited about it.

"I'm in," Levy said first.

"Me too," Natsu agreed.

"Sadly, I cannot attend," Erza hung her head, sighing dramatically.

Gray rolled his eyes. She was a terrible actress.

"I think I probably have to work," Lucy sighed.

"You have the next two days off!" Natsu reminded her, "Maybe Juvia would cover you for another couple days."

"Juvia's coming," Gajeel announced, "and because you're Levy's best friend, I asked her about letting you have a couple more days...since Juvia and I go way back and all."

Levy could hear Gray banging his head against the wall in the shadows and fought to keep her composure. She needed to remain straight-faced for Gray's sake. This would definitely throw a monkey wrench in all Gray's progress in getting past Juvia. She would have to talk to him later though. She needed to make sure Lucy agreed to coming to Crocus.

Lucy and Natsu exchanged glances...a few nights in the capital city of Fiore? At a resort?

"Great!" Lucy agreed, "I'm in, as long as I get the okay from Juvia's mouth. Not that I don't trust you, Gajeel...but it _is_ my job. Plus, I need someone to look after Plue."

Gajeel nodded. The four of them stared at each other for a moment before the girls broke out into excited squeals and rushed off to their apartment to pack.

"Thanks for doing this," Natsu said awkwardly to Gajeel.

"Yeah," Gajeel nodded as he headed out the door, "Seeya at the airport in two hours."


	34. Chapter 34

**_OKAY! SO I TOTALLY POSTED OUT OF ORDER - THANK YOU FAIRYTAILLOVER04 FOR POINTING IT OUT..._**

 ** _TO MAKE IT UP (BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO RE-READ TO FOLLOW THE STORY FROM CHAPTER 31), I'M GONNA POST THIS CHAPTER NOW_**

 ** _SORRY GUYS! ~SHANA~_**

Erza waved goodbye to her friends, who had loaded into two taxis at the apartments. Gajeel had arrived with Juvia exactly two hours later. He left his car in the space that was assigned to Levy's apartment.

Now Erza could get to work. She flitted through the shadows to the highway that would bring Dan and Samuel into town and waited for the red car Gray had described to appear. She didn't have to wait long. She checked the photo again, making sure she had the right people, then followed them as they pulled into the small city.

They got out at the mall, which was very close to the entrance of town. This was where the newscast had happened, so she figured it was where they would start. Following them into the nearest entrance, Erza got closer so she could listen to their conversation.

"We'll need to get a hotel," Samuel was saying.

"We will. I just want to see where Lucy was yesterday. She was on the upper level…near an escalator."

Samuel glanced around, "It's a large mall. Do you think she works here?"

"Nah," Dan denied, "She wouldn't work somewhere so public. She'd find something a lot more out of the way."

"We should start with the library," Samuel said, glancing through a book of Magnolia attractions, "Her friend would want to work there."

"Good thinking," Dan agreed, "We'll go there next. I just want to see where she was."

"She won't be there now," Samuel muttered under his breath. Sometimes Dan's obsession bothered him.

"There!" Dan exclaimed, pointing to the top of the escalator.

He hurried past Samuel, brushing the railing that Lucy had been standing at to watch the singer below with his hands, a look of awe on his face. There was no singer today and no Lucy, but _this is where she'd been standing less than 24 hours ago!_

"It won't be long now, my love. I'll find you and we can pick up where we left off," Dan had a lovesick glow to his face, making both Samuel and Erza want to gag.

"Are you good now?" Samuel asked, "Can we go find a hotel?"

Dan nodded, "Hotel, and then library."

* * *

Erza joined them in the car, careful to sit in the backseat so they wouldn't notice her. She was now in _transparency_. The car was disgusting. Garbage littered the back seat to the point where she also considered running in the _shadows_ beside the car instead. It stunk. It stunk like cigarettes and days of body odour. However, she knew she needed to listen to their conversations in order to thwart any plans they came up with…starting with the location of their hotel.

Dan turned on the turning signal. They still weren't close enough to the apartment. Using _nudge_ , she urged to continue down the road further.

"Where are you going?" Samuel asked, "That was the Best Western – we _always_ stay at the Best Western."

"I just feel like we need to start at the other end of the city," Dan said."

"There's the Magnolia Inn," Samuel said, "How about there?"

Dan nodded, putting the turning signal on again.

After checking in, they were given keys to Room 120, which was on the bottom floor. It was a fairly nice room, with two queen sized beds and a small kitchen unit.

"We're going to need to call _him_ for more money soon," Samuel lamented as he glanced through his bank account online.

"I don't think it'll be necessary," Dan replied, "Lucy is here. I can feel it. We're going to be successful this time."

Samuel sighed. Dan always said that. Every time they narrowed in and Lucy and Levy's location, Dan turned into a lovesick moron. Then, Lucy and Levy would give them the slip and they'd end up asking _him_ for more money anyway. If Samuel wasn't _really_ well paid, he'd have ditched the idiot a long time ago.

"The library isn't far from here," Samuel told him, "You should wait out in the car. No sense in having both our faces seen on the first day."

Dan nodded, putting a picture of Lucy up on the mirror. It was a close up of her face. He took the picture everywhere they went and posted it on the mirror of each new hotel.

Erza was deciding whether to follow them to the library, or search their room. Perhaps if they were going to a less dangerous location, she'd consider searching the room more, but Levy's workplace was guessed within an hour of their arrival in Magnolia. Samuel was highly intelligent; a trait Erza would normally have admired. It was a very 'lucky' guess.

* * *

Natsu groaned, rolling dramatically on to Lucy's shoulder. He did not like plane travel. At all. It made him really dizzy.

"Shhh!" she soothed, "You'll be okay. Just stay still."

"They're lovey dovey," Gajeel commented at the seat across the aisle.

"You have _no idea_ ," Levy sighed, thinking about what she'd walked in on in the morning.

Gray was in the shadows, seething. He really couldn't think of a more awkward situation. Gajeel, who had already made the correlation of both Juvia and Levy knowing a Gray, was seated in between the ladies now. Gray was seriously torn between admiring how beautiful Juvia was and wanting to kick Gajeel's ass for flirting with Levy.

"So how long have you two been together?" Juvia asked, noting Gajeel had his hand loosely resting on Levy's thigh.

"Oh we're not together," Levy said, "We're work friends."

"Really," Juvia smiled.

"I'm…hoping maybe we'll still see other now that I'm done at the library," Gajeel said, a blush crossing his cheeks, "Shrimp here is interesting. Maybe you can convince her we should give it a try."

"Gajeel snores," Juvia told Levy, "And he has a bad habit of leaving his underwear on the floor in the bathroom!"

"JUVES!" Gajeel half-shouted.

Levy started giggling, earning a glare from Gajeel.

"When he gets tired, he pulls at his left ear!" Juvia continued, "And when he's really happy about something, he grunts instead of smiling. Like gihehe. It comes out like a grunt, but trust me…he's happy."

Gajeel reached over, tickling Juvia, "Cease and desist all conversation!" he ordered, "From now on, you're not allowed to talk to Levy at all!"

Juvia smacked his arm, "I'd like to see you try and stop me!"

Juvia squealed as Gajeel attacked her with his tickle fingers, making Levy smirk. Even Natsu and Lucy looked up from their seats at the scene.

Gray sighed. Between the 3 of them getting along so well and Natsu being all needy with Lucy, he'd lost the urge to watch, even though they were about to get into trouble. A stewardess was approaching them, likely to insist they both grow up. Flitting to the back of the plane, he decided to take himself on a tour of the plane instead.

* * *

Erza entered the library quickly, trying to locate Freed. He wasn't there. Another girl, a new hire, was checking in books. Levy hadn't mentioned another girl, so she hoped they hadn't met yet.

Samuel walked into the library alone. He walked up to the girl and put both hands down on the counter.

"Hello sir," the girl said kindly, "Can I help you find something?"

"What's your name?" Samuel asked bluntly.

She looked confused, but assumed he was casually hitting on her, "I'm Laki."

"So Laki – I'm looking for someone and I'm hoping you can help. Does Levy work here?" Samuel asked, getting straight to the point, "I need to talk to her for a few minutes."

"I'm sorry – I'm new here," Laki said, "This is my second weekend. And I'm afraid even if I weren't new, it would be against policy to tell you anything about any employees that work here. If you know her, maybe try reaching her through a friend you both have?"

There was no one in the library. He glanced down the aisles to be sure. Samuel's glasses glinted from the overhead lights as he hopped the counter and grabbed the girl by her neck, throwing her up against the wall behind her. He put some pressure into his grip.

"You will do some work for me," he told her, "You will find out if Levy works here and you will tell me when I come in over the next few days. You won't tell anyone about this conversation, because if you do, I'll find you and break your pretty little neck. Do I make myself clear?"

Laki collapsed to the ground as Samuel dropped her, walking out of the library without looking back. Laki's hands reached up to her throat as she struggled to catch her breath, tears pouring out of her eyes.

Erza rushed to the corner of the library and became solid, running to Laki's side.

"Are you okay?" she stooped beside Laki, noting the poor girl couldn't make a sound. Erza wasn't sure if it was because of her fright, or because Samuel had choked her so hard, she'd lost her vocal cords for a few minutes.

Laki finally found her voice, crying out with her heaving sobs, "I didn't know anyone was in the library! I'm so sorry!"

"Shhh!" Erza soothed her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"What am I going to do?" Laki was still holding her neck. There would be bruises tomorrow.

"I think you should consider calling the police," Erza said, fighting the urge to go hunt Samuel down right then and make sure he never had the chance to come back.

"He'll kill me!" Laki cried, "You can't come back either! If he finds out you were here..."

"Don't worry about me," Erza said, "Listen to me. Go to the police station. Ask for two police officers there: Sting and Rogue. Tell them what happened. And then tell them Levy is with Gajeel. Don't come back to work tomorrow. Have Sting and Rogue tell Freed what happened."

"Do you know Freed? And this 'Levy' person?"

Erza simply nodded, hoping Laki would not ask any more questions, "Don't come back, okay? There are other jobs in Magnolia. C'mon. I'll take you to the police station."

Erza and Laki walked in silence to the police station. Something about the taller girl gave Laki a sense of protection. At the door, Erza held her arm back as she started to go up the stairs.

"Laki, it will be okay. Ask for Sting and Rogue."

Laki nodded, turning toward the door. She was halfway through when she turned back.

"Hey! I forgot to ask you your name!" Laki stared at the empty spot Erza had just been in. The street was completely empty.

"Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

Erza waited at the hotel for Samuel and Dan to get back in _transparency._ She was beyond angry and was starting to see why Levy was afraid. She knew she couldn't do anything like confront them…but she could do _other_ things to relieve some of the anger she felt.

She started with pulling at the edge of the roll-out carpet Samuel and Dan walked on as they entered the hotel. Smiling approvingly as they both fell flat on their faces, she saw they'd landed right below the luggage trolley of another hotel patron. She kicked the trolley contents, making them land on top of the two men.

Everyone in the lobby was mortified. People began trying to help them up.

The manager ran to them, "I'm so sorry!"

Dan had finally managed to stand, pointing a finger directly into the manager's face, "Your hotel is dangerous! I should sue!"

"Oh no sir! Please – I'm sure it was an accident!"

"I tripped on your carpet!" Dan continued, "My ankle…oh it hurts!"

"Consider your stay paid for," the manager said quickly, "I do apologize."

Dan and Samuel both limped back to their room, quitting the act the second they were locked into their room.

"So no Levy at the library, eh?" Dan threw his jacket on the bed and fell down backwards beside it.

"New girl. But I let her know I'll be back. She'll talk when I do," Samuel went to his bed and pulled his suitcase open, grabbing a towel, "I need a shower. She was sweating so bad. It was gross."

He slammed the door behind him.

Erza was only somewhat satisfied with her 'revenge'. Samuel was now in the shower, singing very badly at the top of his lungs. She entered the bathroom, noting the glass enclosed shower. Shielding her eyes from something she _really_ did not want to see, she turned the cold water off completely. He screeched and tried to get out of the shower. Erza held the doors closed. _Now_ she felt like she had some sort of revenge for Laki. If they kept these antics up, these boys were going to get _very_ sore in the next few days.

* * *

"These rooms are great!" Lucy exclaimed, throwing her suitcase on one of the queen-sized beds. There were two beds in the room. The bathroom was huge and there was a really cute kitchenette. Best of all, there was a deck that overlooked the man-made hot spring lake.

Levy flopped onto the other bed, "Is Natsu feeling better?"

"He'll be fine," Lucy laughed, "Poor guy. He was so happy to get off the plane, he didn't even realize we still had the taxi ride over here. I wonder if he realizes we need to do all the traveling again to get back to Magnolia."

Levy shook her head, "I shudder to think about it."

"Hey Lev?"

Lucy wasn't looking at Levy, but she knew she had to address what Levy had seen that morning. Levy didn't answer, suspecting this was where the conversation was about to turn.

"What you saw this morning…we didn't go all the way. He slept in my bed. That's all."

Levy nodded, "You know we need to be cautious, Lucy. Are you sure you know what you're doing? You're getting awfully close to him. Even closer than any of us knew."

" _Any of us?"_ Lucy echoed, "Wait – you all know Natsu and I are becoming closer? We've been so discreet about it!"

"Discreet like elephants!" Levy laughed, "We all know. And we all like your relationship with Natsu…but don't you think it would be better not to get attached? You know we might have to run again."

"I…I love him, Lev. If we have to run again, Natsu would come with us."

Levy nodded. Erza's suspicions were right. Levy looked deep into her best friend's eyes. She could see the love Lucy held for Natsu in her face and in her eyes.

"Just be careful, Lucy," she said softly, "I don't want you to get hurt. And if you get…to that point…be safe, okay? Make sure you're protected. There's no telling how Dan would react if you were to…"

Her voice trailed off, Lucy red at the implication.

"We're not there yet, Lev…but I can see it happening sometime in the distant future. I really do love him."

Levy jumped over to Lucy's bed, landing beside her best friend, "I know you do, Lucy. So…is he a good kisser?"

Lucy's eyes lit up. Levy was acting like a best friend again and not a mother, as she often tended to act like in situations like this.

"He's the _best!"_ Lucy gushed.

The girls started giggling as Lucy went into details.

* * *

The boys and Juvia each had their own rooms. Gajeel had determined he had no inclination to share with Natsu. Plus, he wanted the freedom to check things out on his own. Natsu seemed rather dense at times. His only job was to keep Lucy busy. He didn't have to share a room with Gajeel to do _that._

He popped open his laptop again and put in the USB stick he'd saved from last night, bringing up his double screen with two profiles: Samuel and Kari.

He was pretty sure he knew who both were now. Samuel was _not_ a friend to Dan and he was actually curious why he still traveled with Dan after all this time. He knew the answer – to find whatever was inside the bars. But did he need to travel with Dan to accomplish that?

Kari was a bit more of a mystery, but he'd found ties to both Jose Porla and Jude Heartfilia in her history. She was definitely an employee of Porla's at one time.

"Tomorrow…" Gajeel said out loud, "Tomorrow, I'm gonna crack one of those bars wide open. Then I'll know for sure."

Behind him, Gray stared wide-eyed at the two screens. Levy and Gray hadn't seen this part of Gajeel's investigation. Gajeel was onto something. He would be sticking by his side tomorrow to find out what, since he was pretty sure Gajeel had no intentions of being honest with them at all.


	35. Chapter 35

Erza was watching over the hotel room. Her little prank had only made Samuel even angrier at the hotel. She might have to make sure their stream of bad luck continued outside the hotel too…just to give them the impression that it wasn't just the hotel.

They finally rolled out of bed at about 11:00. That didn't surprise Erza. She was thoroughly disgusted at them. The hotel room was already littered with garbage from their late night snacks. Such slobs!

Dan was rolling out the map of Magnolia again.

"We'll leave the library for today," he told Samuel, "Give the girl a chance to find out about Levy. I think today we should start searching…."

He circled his pen around the map. Erza pushed the pen down at the apartment neighbourhood. Dan looked up in surprise, like he was silently asking Samuel if he'd pushed the pen down himself.

"There?" Samuel asked, nose wrinkled, "There's very little in that neighbourhood other than residential and small business. I think the library is exactly where I should go today. If that girl isn't working, maybe someone else is."

"But my Lucy would find a job where she's relatively out of the way," Dan protested, "I think she'll try to find something like store clerk of a quiet shop…maybe an art museum."

"Fine," Samuel sighed, "I'll go to the library later on in the afternoon. The head librarian must work _sometime._ "

"Just don't go roughing everyone up like you did the last time," Dan warned, "We don't want to attract attention."

Samuel nodded, "Whatever. Just make sure _you_ don't get all goo-goo eyed if we come across that blonde bitch."

Dan growled at him, "Don't call her that."

"Then don't go goo-goo-eyed."

Erza hummed to herself. For partners, they didn't get along so well. Erza was beginning to doubt they were even friends. They were just on a mission together to get Lucy and her keys. If they split up, she wouldn't be able to follow them both, so she was satisfied that they were going to start out in the quadrant of Magnolia that she'd pinpointed for them.

As they got into the car, Erza resisted the urge to blow a tire like Gray had. She wanted them to complete this search. She wanted this quadrant cleared so that when the others returned from Crocus, maybe it would buy them some time. Better yet, maybe Dan and Samuel would move on.

She thought about Laki. Sting and Rogue might be questioning what Gajeel had gotten himself into by now. She hoped they'd catch her clue. Hopefully they were searching through Gajeel's database searches to see what he'd been working on. Samuel would be on their radar if that was the case.

* * *

At the police station, Sting and Rogue were going through Laki's report. The girl had been scared...terrified. It had taken a female officer almost an hour to calm her down. They had a nurse come to the station to assess her injuries. There was no permanent damage, but she would absolutely be bruised today.

An assault at the library was unusual. The fact that she specifically asked for Rogue and Sting piqued their interest. There was more to this story.

"Gentlemen," Freed greeted as he entered the office and took a chair, "Please tell me why my employee quit out of nowhere. My other employee, the one in question, is away on vacation and now I have no choice but to work the front of the library. _Which_ you are keeping me from. So please talk fast."

"Your employee, Laki was attacked last night, as you know. I can tell how concerned you are about her. Can you think of any reason why a man would want to know about your other employee, Levy? To the point where he would assault Laki?" Sting had his pen poised, ready to write down anything Freed could offer.

Freed shook his head, "Levy keeps to herself. The only person she really connected to at the library was that freak on probation. For some reason, the courts thought he would lose his violent tendencies if he worked at my library, so I had to put up with him for a few months. He just finished his probation and isn't there anymore. I really hope it wasn't that loser that threatened her."

Sting and Rogue exchanged glances. Did this guy like _anything?_

"Not according to Laki's description," Sting said slowly.

"Has she ever said anything to indicate she's in trouble?" Rogue asked.

Freed shook his head again, "I know nothing about her at all. I'm her boss, not her friend."

"Do you keep surveillance cameras at the library?" Sting asked.

"It's a library," Freed said, his temper flaring, "What could anyone possibly need to…survey?"

Rogue rolled his eyes at Sting. Sting's chin dropped to his chest.

"Do you know who the red-headed woman was that helped Laki get here?" Rogue asked.

"How the hell am _I_ supposed to know?" Freed snapped, "The library has _tons_ of clients. As if one red-headed woman would stand out!"

"Okay – thanks Freed. Go do your job. We'll have to look for Levy ourselves to try to determine what's going on."

Freed didn't even say goodbye as he left the room.

"Rude bastard," Sting muttered.

"If this Levy girl is on vacation, we won't find her right away," Rogue said.

"We could run her name – see if we can determine where she is," Sting suggested.

Rogue flipped the screen up on his laptop, waiting for the program to load.

"I think Gajeel's sweet on her," Sting said, "He's mentioned her a few times."

Rogue chuckled, "He's funny, isn't he? For such a big man, he's really a decent guy. Even with all his piercings."

"I'm kind of hoping he'll agree to stay on in Magnolia," Sting agreed, "He's a good cop."

Rogue opened the screens for a search, "Do we know Levy's last name?"

Sting shook his head, "But the first name is uncommon. Try that first."

Rogue punched in 'Levy'. Nothing came up.

"Okay…well, we know she works at the library. Let's go talk to Gajeel," Sting suggested.

* * *

Gray was watching from the shadows as the group met for breakfast the next morning. He was thankful Natsu had a room to himself and happily took up the second bed for an exhausted sleep the night before.

The restaurant at the resort was bustling with activity. Lucy was radiant with happiness as she joined the table with Levy. Gajeel, Juvia, and Natsu were already seated.

"It's a buffet, Lucy!" Natsu said excitedly. Gajeel and Juvia had just explained the concept to him and he was ridiculously stoked about it.

"Sounds good, Natsu," Lucy smiled as she took her place next to him, reaching underneath the table to give his hand a squeeze.

"Coffee first," Levy groaned, "I cannot wait to hit the hot springs today. My body is so sore."

"And what were you doing to make it sore?" Juvia asked with a twinkle in her eye, "Gajeel had a room to himself, but you were rooming with Lucy…or were you?"

Gray smacked the wall in frustration. This was so ridiculous.

Levy laughed good-naturedly, "The mattress was hard, but thanks for dreaming up a more interesting reason. I'll ask for something to make the bed a bit softer for tonight I think."

They passed around the coffee urn left for them by the staff of the restaurant, each person taking a moment to doctor up their coffee just the way they wanted it.

"So gooood," Juvia sighed happily, "I'm so glad I came along. This is just what I needed."

"I didn't know you and Gajeel were friends," Lucy exclaimed, "Levy has been working with Gajeel for weeks and I would not have made the connection!"

Gajeel sat back in his chair, "We were at the same foster home," he said, "She's my little sister. We lost touch for a few years when I left home for college, then met up again when I moved to Magnolia."

Gray _nudged_ Lucy to ask more questions.

"It's amazing how life twists like that sometimes," Lucy agreed, "But I think it's great that you found each other again. Levy is like my sister, so I understand completely. So where was home?"

"Crocus, actually," Juvia said, "We had a house on the other side of town. It's still there, I think, but our foster parents have moved on. They have a place in Hargeon now."

"And how did _you_ get to Magnolia then?" Lucy asked.

Juvia exchanged glances with Gajeel.

"I ran away," Juvia said finally, "I was young and stupid and didn't appreciate what I had. I missed Gajeel and went looking for him. I ended up in Magnolia where I worked for a restaurant. The manager was impressed with my cooking talent. He wasn't married and had no children, so he sort of...adopted me. Eventually, when he passed on, he left me the restaurant. I changed a few things – and voila – 8-Island was born."

Gray was intrigued with this information. He remembered the old gentleman at the restaurant. _Warrod Sequen._ He was sad that the man had passed away. He also let out a sigh of relief as he realized she'd left out a lot of information about everything in between.

"Let's get breakfast!" Natsu cried impatiently, "It's _buffet!_ "

Everyone laughed, but had to agree they were famished. In hardly any time at all, they met back at the table with plates of heaping food…Natsu's being the largest.

He was a like a kid in a candy store. Natsu had piled his plate high with bacon, sausages, eggs, and waffles with blueberry syrup, and TONS of whipped cream. The others looked at him with furrowed brows, but he was completely oblivious to them as he dug in with an enormous grin on his face. It was a wonder his food didn't fall out of his mouth.

"That's Natsu for you," Levy whispered to Gajeel, "He does everything whole-heartedly. Never half-way."

Gajeel snickered, placing a hand on her thigh.

Gray turned away. He couldn't watch. His emotions were in a thousand places. Juvia and Levy…at the same table! Fate didn't like him much.

Juvia smiled mischievously, bumping Levy's elbow so that she 'accidentally' poured some of her coffee onto Gajeel's lap.

"Oh my gosh!" Levy exclaimed, grabbing a napkin and dabbing lightly at his lap before she even realized what she was doing.

The entire table froze. Levy turned tomato red.

"I can do it," Gajeel said awkwardly, taking the napkin from her, "And don't worry about it, Shrimp. It was luke-warm. Didn't burn me. Although this is definitely hot."

If possible, Levy turned even more red. He excused himself to go to the washroom.

"So…plans today," Juvia said, turning back to the table innocently, "I think there's a few things in Crocus I need to do today…errands for the business since I'm here anyway."

"I'd like to take Lucy for part of the day," Natsu said between bites of his waffles, "I have a tourist book in my room that has all sorts of cool places in it."

Levy nodded, "Then Gajeel and I will meet up with all of you later. We'll go to the hot springs tonight."

Gajeel returned to the table, essentially cleaned up.

"Thanks for inviting us, Gajeel," Lucy's face was beaming again, "I didn't even realize how badly I need this!"

Gajeel nodded, "Good. Hope you have a good time."

"So Juvia is going to go do some things for the business and Natsu and Lucy are going to do some touristy stuff," Levy said to Gajeel.

He nodded again, finishing his sausages, "Sounds good. Then we should all meet and do the hot springs tonight."

The other laughed. That was indeed the plan. It was as though he'd heard the entire conversation.

Gray was torn between following Gajeel and Levy (like he knew he should) or following Juvia…because he was curious about her business. He missed her. She looked like _his_ Juvia again…the one who smiled and whose face lit up the room. She was laughing. Such a different Juvia than the one he'd encountered since his arrival in Magnolia.

Breakfast was essentially done now, but the group still felt the need to drink the remainder of the coffee urn. Natsu patted his belly contentedly. He managed to finish the entire plate.

* * *

Cana held Plue's leash in her hand, waiting for him to do his business. She wasn't much of a dog person and much preferred feeding the tiny kitten in the apartment next door. But she had said she'd do both. After Plue had done his thing, she'd go spend some time with that sweet kitten.

"Excuse me, Miss," a man said from behind her.

She turned, looking into the dark eyes of a very tall red-headed man. Immediately, a bad vibe went through her body. Cana was pretty sure she was clairvoyant. She had a very good sense, almost extrasensory, of things around her and often was able to tell if there was something wrong before she knew the details. She even saw things in her dreams that would happen in the next day or two.

Last night, she had seen this man in her dreams. He was repeatedly hitting something. It wasn't a nightmare or something she would normally have paid much attention to…except he was here…in front of her.

He held up a picture of Lucy. She willed herself not to react.

"Have you seen this woman?" he asked.

"Can't say that I have," Cana said monotonously.

Plue was backing away from the man, growling lowly.

"This dog…is he yours?" the man asked, reaching to pat his head.

Plue snapped at him, growling louder. Cana pulled on the leash, reigning him in right beside her.

"Yes," she lied, "Had him since he was a pup. He doesn't like men much, so please don't get too close. He'll attack."

"I see," the man said, putting the picture back in his wallet, "Thank you."

She didn't respond as he walked away from her. Cana had that ominous feeling that she always caught before something happened. Taking out her cell phone, she dialed 8-Island.

Lisanna picked up, "8-Island, Lisanna speaking!"

"Lis – it's Cana. I'm at Lucy's, taking her dog out. Listen. A strange man just came around asking me if I knew Lucy. I have that feeling again, Lis…the one telling me something is wrong. If he comes to the restaurant, just lie, okay?"

Lisanna was quiet for a moment, contemplating what she'd been told. The whole staff knew that Cana's instincts were rarely wrong.

"Got it, Cana. You're in today, right?"

"Yeah. In an hour or so. I've just gotta feed the kitten."

"I'll tell the others," Lisanna promised, "We'll all play dumb. Maybe you should work in the back today."

Cana nodded, even though she knew Lisanna couldn't see it, "Good idea. Something isn't right. And both Juvia and Lucy are gone right now. I'll do a tarot reading when I get to work."

They both hung up their phones. Cana could see the man petitioning other people to look at his picture. Lucy had blended into the background rather well, Cana figured. Not a lot of people _would_ recognize her from the picture that Dan carried. It was a few years old. Seeing that Plue was all done his business, she used the paper towel to pick it up and wandered to the garbage can, still watching the man out of the corner of her eye.

The feeling was not going away. The more she watched him, the more it grew.

* * *

Sting and Rogue knocked on the door of Gajeel's apartment again.

"He's not going to answer," Rogue said.

"Interesting. A girl gets assaulted at a library that Gajeel works at. The person the assailant was looking for is missing, apparently on vacation, and Gajeel is missing too on an 'impromptu vacation'," Sting made eye contact with his partner, "Rogue, do you get the impression that this 'Levy' is in trouble? And Gajeel is trying to protect her?"

Rogue nodded slowly, "But we were given a copy of Gajeel's profile when he was selected for his mission at the library. Previous missions have been to the letter on protocol. He never did anything without informing someone. There's something strange going on here."

Sting nodded, "We need to get back to our regular day's work...but maybe we should do some snooping tonight, starting with phone call to Gajeel's cell. Maybe he'll answer and solve the mystery for us. Otherwise, maybe we should stop in at his apartment...See if Gajeel left some clues somewhere."

"And maybe we should stake out the library in our spare time," Rogue added.

They fist-bumped, then exited the apartment building to get on with their day's work.


	36. Chapter 36

**FOR OTAKUPRINCESS 28...THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!**

Natsu and Lucy were lying on the grass at the top of a hill in the beautiful City of Crocus, just having toured the mall and marketplace. They needed a break.

"That cloud looks like a mushroom," Lucy pointed.

Natsu strained to see the mushroom, "I don't see it."

She grabbed his hand and pointed it to the mushroom cloud.

"It's like the cloud is making a picture!"she grinned, "What do you see, Natsu?"

He searched the skies, looking for something drawn in the sky by a cloud.

"An ostrich!" he announced, taking her hand much she took his a moment ago and pointing upward.

"That's...not a ostrich," she laughed, "You don't really see it either, do you?"

He grinned, "Okay, maybe not. Let me try again."

He glanced at the sky, trying to pick images out of the clouds again.

"There!" he pointed, "Look - it's a fishy!"

"A fishy?" she asked, following his gaze.

"Like those little cheesy crackers you gave me on the plane that I didn't want to eat because they were so cute!" he exclaimed, "See it? It's a fishy cloud!"

She giggled, trying to see the cloud. Natsu was so adorable. She hoped he'd never lose his child-like exuberance.

"Oh Mavis! You're totally right!" Lucy gasped, seeing the fish-shaped cloud Natsu pointed to, "I think this place must be magical! It's even tinted orange!"

He grinned ear-to-ear, thrilled that she could see it too.

"I'm glad we decided to come to Crocus," Lucy sighed, leaning over to nuzzle his neck.

"Maybe we should never go back," Natsu chuckled, "There's something magical about being alone with you in a city I've never been to. I bet there's more places neither of us have been to."

"You like the idea of running away," Lucy poked him in the ribs, "You keep bringing it up."

Natsu stopped walking, pulling her into his arms and kissing her gently, "I just want to be with you. I don't care where we are. As long as we're free to be together."

She kissed him back with a smile on her lips, "I hope we get lots of alone time the entire time we're here. I mean, I guess we have to socialize sometimes…but let's make sure we get out alone a bit too."

He nodded, "Maybe we should take a vacation of our own sometime. I like not having to sneak around."

She giggled, "They _know_ , Natsu."

He tilted his head, confused.

"They know. Every last one of them. Levy…Gray…Erza…Gajeel…Juvia. They all know. We haven't fooled anyone."

Natsu's eyes widened, "How? We've been so careful!"

Lucy brushed his cheek with her hand, "Apparently we've been unbelievably obvious. Levy was shocked to see us in bed together because she didn't think we'd progressed that far, but she knew we've been sneaking around."

"But Gray hasn't been teasing me!" Natsu insisted, "He _can't_ know. He wouldn't let a golden opportunity like that slide!"

"He knows," Lucy assured him, "But in his defense, Gray has really changed a lot. He's not cold like he was. I think he's turned into a really good friend for you."

Natsu couldn't deny that. He found himself less and less apprehensive about Gray every day. He was no longer afraid to ask questions in fear of how Gray would tease him. Maybe it was one of the things Erza had accomplished – she'd made Gray and Natsu work together, respect each other, and learn together. And they'd both come a long ways. Natsu _would_ consider Gray his friend.

Natsu had a half-cocked grin on his face, "Well, that should make things interesting."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked.

They resumed walking, arm in arm.

"If they know, then we don't have to pretend!" Natsu grinned, "I can be with you openly! I can do _this_ anytime I want!"

He kissed her gently.

Lucy squeezed his arm a little tighter, her grin as wide as his, "Oh c'mon, Natsu! We both know you can barely touch me in private. There's no way that you'd be able to do it publicly."

"Maybe if I learn to touch you in private, I would be better at public affections," he said innocently.

Her face flushed.

"Natsu," she said softly, stopping their walk again, "There's no one at the hotel for the rest of the day."

He glanced at her, his head tilting in question.

"We can be alone for the whole afternoon," Lucy explained, "I don't care about being with you openly. I'm craving private time _._ Do you…want to go back?"

He spun on his heel, dragging her with him through the crowd.

She was laughing as he pulled her, then stopped to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder. He broke out into a run, thrilled that he had the ability to make her laugh. It truly was the reason the world spun on its' axis. He loved her _sooo_ much. Half of the excitement of heading back to the hotel was the gales of laughter that shook her body as he raced with her in his arms. He didn't know why she'd want to be at the hotel all day instead of out in the town. But he couldn't argue with her logic either… alone time was exactly what the doctor ordered.

* * *

Back in Magnolia, Erza was on the move again, following Dan and Samuel as they made their round throughout their neighbourhood.

She was having fun making their lives miserable. Twice now, she had managed to make Dan fall backward onto his butt. The first time, Dan was showing Lucy's picture to a woman. She'd _nudged_ the woman to be suspicious and she started asking Dan some very awkward questions…why would he want to find this young girl? Who was he to her? Didn't he know asking random strangers on the street questions like that was suspicious. She had him retreating with every question to the point that he fell backwards on a parking bumper. The woman had laughed at him, then carried on her way. The second time, Erza kicked a stick he was walking over up so that it entwined with his legs and sent him down. Samuel watched with amused anger. Amused because it was rather humorous that Dan was being so clumsy. Anger because they were getting nowhere fast.

To be fair, Erza played her share of tricks on Samuel too. She pulled back a branch and let it thwack him in the face when he started walking in the direction of the apartment. She had also grabbed a passing woman's buttocks, then just about died of laughter when the woman told Samuel what a pervert he was, slapping him across the face. She bumped into another person with hot coffee. It spilled all the way down his shirt. Samuel had screamed in the man's face, earning him a punch to the gut.

"We're not getting anywhere," Dan said in frustration.

"Maybe she's not in this end of the city. No one knows her," Samuel sighed.

 _Yes! Go somewhere else! Lucy is not in this part of the city!_

"I ran into a girl yesterday," Dan lamented, "She had a dog that looked remarkably like Plue."

Samuel looked up, "There are lots of dogs like Plue."

Dan nodded. He knew that. But she stuck in his head anyway.

"Let's go back to the library," Samuel suggested, "I don't think they're in this neighbourhood. We'll check again tomorrow to be sure."

He led the way back to the car.

* * *

At 8-Island, Cana sat down to do the Tarot reading.

"What does it say?" Lisanna asked, anxiousness lining her voice.

"They're aren't friends of Lucy's," Cana said slowly, flipping another card, "I was right. They want to hurt her. Distance – she's been running for a long time."

Lisanna was placing an order of burgers on plates.

"Friendship – Lucy is forming strong bonds with the people around her," she paused, glancing to Lisanna, "I hope that means us too."

Cana gasped as she turned the next card.

"What is it?" Lisanna asked as she portioned the fries.

Cana was staring at the cards in front of her. When she didn't get an answer, Lisanna came over to see for herself, not that she could read the cards on her own.

"I don't know why the Angel came up. It's like someone is watching over her. It's like a completely random card... I can't explain it," Cana said slowly, "But the Death Card..." Cana looked up at Lisanna, worry clouding her pretty face, "Lis…Lucy's in real trouble."

* * *

Levy and Gajeel were searching for the right warehouse that held the storage room in question. Levy played with the keys in her hand. Again, it hadn't been easy to get the keys from Lucy. Levy knew that Lucy had handled them recently since they weren't in the same place that she'd left them. This time, Levy made note of the position the keys were in under the mattress so she could be sure to put it back in the right place.

"Quit playing with the keys," Gajeel snapped, "You're jingling them. You'll draw suspicion that we're not supposed to be here."

"We aren't," Levy said nervously, but she stuck the keys in her pocket anyway. She would have to enter the warehouse in solid form this time. Her anxiousness was beginning to take over. She really wished she could take to the _shadows_ now. She hated feeling exposed like this.

She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder.

 _Gray_.

It was hard to remember that he was there at times. She didn't envy him on having to stay in _shadow_ all the time. She realized he'd used _presence_ on her as calmness washed over her. She was thankful. Levy was feeling awkward for a lot of reasons. Gray was just reminding her that he would be there to help her.

"This is it," Levy said as the warehouse came into view, "How are we going to get in?"

Gajeel surveyed the area, eyeing each door and window.

"Through the front door," he said finally, "We check in at the front desk like regular customers. It's better than sneaking around."

Levy's eyes widened, "Are you _nuts?_ No one has asked for access to that room in 14 or 15 years! As far as they're concerned, no one has been there since Layla stashed everything there!"

"Not like we can get there through the shadows," Gajeel muttered under his breath as he walked ahead of her.

Levy's mouth dropped open. That comment was…far too close to the mark.

Gray heard it too. He cringed in the shadows, eyebrows furrowing.

"Lev!" Gajeel hissed, "Let's go. Be my wife. Just go with it and follow my lead."

They entered the warehouse arm in arm, Gray following with a scowl on his face.

"Hello," Gajeel said pleasantly, "We've come to get into our storage unit."

The lady at the desk looked up, smacking her gum in her mouth, "Your names?"

"I'm Jacob Heartfilia. This is my wife, Chloe."

The lady kept eye contact with him as she brought out a large book, "You got ID?"

Gajeel pulled out his wallet, flipping to his driver's licence. Levy saw that it clearly said 'Gajeel Redfox' on the card. He waved his hand over the license and passed it to the lady.

She glanced at it, smacking her gum loudly, "Go ahead."

Levy and Gray were both trying to maintain their cool. What the hell had just happened? As Gajeel and Levy walked calmly toward the storage unit, Levy hadn't realized the death grip she had on Gajeel's hand.

"Shrimp," Gajeel said softly, "You're killing my hand."

She looked down in surprise, letting go of his hand completely.

"Trust me, Shrimp," Gajeel said simply.

They arrived at the door. Levy brought out the keys, pausing so she could remember what key went where and then proceeded to slide each key into place. The door opened without hesitation.

"Gajeel?" Levy asked in confusion once the door was safely closed behind them.

"I'll explain later, Shrimp. Let's get a good look at these bars."

He opened a box, withdrawing a bar and examining it closely, "This is a real bar. This must be the real box."

He opened the next box, taking out another bar.

"Do you want to read Lucy's mother's letter?" Levy asked, passing it to him.

He scanned the letter quickly, then set it aside, "You can take Lucy's keepsakes when we leave."

"Where will I keep them? Lucy doesn't know we're here."

"In my room," Gajeel replied, lifting the gold bar above his head, "I'll post it in the mail to myself tomorrow."

She nodded as he tested the bar by whacking it against the wall.

Gray was torn. He had always had doubts about Gajeel, but his mind was reeling with doubt now. Gajeel was not who he said he was. He watched as Gajeel put one knee up onto the box, then raised the gold bar over his head.

"What are you doing?!" Levy exclaimed.

"I'm gonna find out what's inside," Gajeel said as though it were obvious.

"On your knee?"

Gajeel lowered the bar slightly, making eye contact with her, "I know you've got questions, Shrimp. I'll answer them, I promise. Just know that I would never hurt you. I'm on your side."

She nodded slowly as he raised the bar above his head again and smashed it down onto his thigh. The fake gold brick split in half, papers tumbling out of the middle.

"What _is_ that?" Levy asked, trying not to freak over the display of strength she'd just witnessed.

In the shadows, Gray was panicking. What the hell _was_ Gajeel? No Angel was able to do that! What frightened him even more was that Gajeel seemed to know that Levy was an Angel…so he had the upper hand. He knew what Levy was, and apparently the powers that came with it. They had no clue what Gajeel was or what he was capable of.

Levy unrolled a paper.

"It's a photo," she said slowly, "Of Porla."

Gajeel took it from her, examining it carefully. Porla was standing in front of a humongous shipment of bagged cocaine. Levy was busy unrolling the next picture.

"These are shots taken from behind a bush," Levy said slowly, "Someone took these pictures with the intention of catching Porla in the act."

Gajeel nodded, "What we're looking at, Levy, is the missing evidence from before Porla went to jail. I'm willing to bet throughout these bars, we'll find evidence of everything Jude and Porla ever did to each other. They had quite the grudge war."

Gray's eyes widened. Gajeel knew way more than he let on.

"I don't understand," Levy said slowly.

"I can't tell you here," Gajeel repeated, "I'll tell you everything. I promise. When we leave."

He broke another brick, picking up the new photos. He was making a pile.

"You can't break every brick!" Levy panicked, "We need to get out of here. We're lucky they let us in!"

"I think we should take everything out of here," Gajeel was saying, completely ignoring Levy's anxious plead, "I can call my cousins and have them comb the rest of the bars for the evidence once we get it back to Magnolia."

"Your cousins are real?" Levy asked, "And how in the hell do you propose we move 7 or 8 boxes with gold bars in them to Magnolia without anyone noticing?"

Gajeel gave her a hurt glance, "Ya! I told you my cousins were real! Jeez…"

She gave a half-smile, despite her mounting anxiety, "They're cops too."

He nodded.

"We can't take anything now, but it's all here. Everything I thought would be in this storage locker is here," Gajeel took photos of the evidence he had been able to uncover. He wouldn't be able to put the gold bars back together, but he hid the evidence as best as he could between real bars.

"We can go, right?" Levy asked.

"Yeah," he agreed, noting her pained expression. She was beyond frazzled, so he grabbed the box with all Lucy's keepsakes in it. Levy was feeling very overwhelmed with the recent developments, "We'll come back to take the boxes tomorrow. This box can come with me now."

As the two of them left the room, Gray was torn once again. Should he go listen to whatever Gajeel had to say to explain the odd phenomena they'd just witnessed? Or break the rest of the gold bars to see what else was inside? He had a suspicion that there was more than just the evidence of Porla's events leading up to his arrest.

He watched as Gajeel took Levy's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. She leaned into his shoulder, accepting his comfort. She was falling for Gajeel. And Gray should let her. She was fighting her attraction to Gray, but not her attraction to Gajeel. To Gray, that pretty much said it all. And if Gajeel was not who he said he was, he might be from a different Heavenly division. There was a chance that they could be together. Gray would not stand in Levy's way if that were the case. Maybe he really was destined to be alone.

That pretty much made up his mind. The door shut behind Gajeel and Levy and he heard the locks snap into place.

Gray turned back to the gold bars, "Okay...what else are you babies hiding?"

He raised a gold bar over his head like Gajeel had done, but quickly acknowledged that would be a mistake. He didn't know how Gajeel had broken the bars on his thigh, but Gray was pretty sure the gold bars would _break his thighs._ He glanced around for a hammer...anything that might break a gold bar apart.

* * *

Rogue watched from his perch, fairly sure that something would happen soon. Laki sat beside him, thumping her knee nervously. They had been there all day, waiting for something to happen. More than once, they'd all thought about calling it quits. Rogue and Sting needed to identify who had been looking for Levy, however, in order to progress their investigation. Laki had agreed to work with them again that afternoon, hiding in the shadows with Rogue while Sting operated the front desk as the 'new hire librarian'. Freed was in the back completing the inventory he was unable to do while being 'stuck up front'.

It was busy in the library. A children's group was reading a book with their teacher in the corner of the library. High school kids were studying at various tables. Rogue secretly prayed that nothing would happen today either. There were far too many people in that library. But that would lessen the likelihood of another assault, right?

They exchanged glances as an ominous feeling fell throughout the library.

The door opened.

Laki's face turned white as all the blood drained from it, "That's him."

"We have positive ID, Sting," Rogue said into his com link. Sting scratched at his ear. It was their signal that he had heard the comment as he casually continued helping the client in front of him.

"Can I help you, sir?" Sting asked as the client before him finished his business and moved out of the line.

"I'm looking for a young girl who was working here the other day...purple hair? Or perhaps the other girl...Levy?"

He was shorter in stature with large, rounded glasses on his face and a bald head. Sting was actually shocked that a wiener like this could hold Laki up against anything. Laki was fit and no pushover, now that he'd had a chance to get to know her a bit.

"I'm sorry. I don't know either of those names," Sting said with a grin on his face, "Can I help you find something?"

"Actually, when I was here the other day, we had a long conversation about what I sell at work," the man said, "I brought her order. If I could just have her address, I'll bring the order straight to her."

"We don't give out personal addresses," Sting said flatly, "Perhaps you'd like to try to sell _me_ whatever it is that you sell at your work."

The venom in Sting's voice did not get missed by the stranger.

"No thank you," the man said, "It's really a product only women would appreciate. I'll come back another day."

The man stalked out of the library.

Rogue and Laki joined Sting at the counter.

"We have a face to the assault now," Sting said, "Shall we go get 'im?"

"Hell ya," Rogue agreed, "Laki, whatever you do, don't leave this library until we come back for you."

Sting snickered, "And you might wanna tell Freed he needs employees again…I quit."


	37. Chapter 37

Natsu and Lucy arrived back at the hotel, giggling as Natsu opened the door to his hotel room. He'd piggy-backed her the entire way back after finally allowing her off of his shoulder. They got several disapproving looks as they entered the hotel, but neither of them cared. They were having fun.

He brought her over to the bed and tried to unload her, but she held onto his back, so he fell backward onto the bed, playfully crushing her a bit.

"You're heavy!" she laughed.

He got off of her, flipping over to his stomach.

"Okay…so we left the bustling City of Crocus so you could get me alone in a hotel room," Natsu teased, "What are you going to do with me now?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. He propped his head up on his elbow, leaning into her.

"I love you, Luce," he whispered against her lips.

"Hmm," she hummed, kissing him deeper.

"How much time do you think we have before the others get back?" he asked, glancing at his watch.

"Enough time to get a really good make-out session in," she replied, pulling him back down.

He sighed happily, giving in to her advances for several minutes.

"Hey Luce? What were you going to tell me the other day? About the keys your mother gave you?"

She stiffened, "You want to discuss that _now?"_

He shrugged, "I'd rather make out with you…but it's been bothering me. And it's not something I want to discuss in front of the others. Maybe it's because we're in Crocus. You said the keys go to a storage unit here, right?"

She sighed heavily, laying flat on her back, "Yeah. I've never been there though."

"So what were you going to tell me?"

She was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Natsu propped his head up on his hand, lightly running his other hand down her arm.

"My dad was not a nice man," she said softly, "He was involved in some pretty heavy stuff. My mother knew about a lot of his…transgressions…and they used to fight…a lot. She wanted him to go legit. One of his biggest rivals was a man named Jose Porla. I overheard a fight between my dad and Jose one day. Jose said it was my dad's fault _she_ died."

Natsu watched her face carefully, stroking her arms gently for encouragement.

"I think there was another woman," Lucy said almost so quietly, Natsu could barely hear her, "I think my dad was cheating on my mother and the evidence is locked up in that storage locker. More than that, I think Jose was in love with the same woman. That's what caused the major rift between them. The aftermath has followed us well after Jose was put into jail. My mother knew. She took whatever evidence she could find and hid it from my dad. And entrusted me with the keys."

"Luce…" Natsu bent down, kissing her lips gently, "I can't imagine how hard that must be. No wonder you never wanted to go to the storage locker."

She had a single tear in her eye, "My mother was sick for a long time. The deeper my dad went into his grudge match with Jose Porla, the less he cared about how sick she was. All he cared about was taking Jose down."

He flipped onto his back, pulling her onto his chest to hold her close, "It's not fun to grow up alone. I know that better than anyone. But you're not alone now, Luce. You'll never be alone again."

She kissed his neck, "I know. Thank you for that, Natsu. I finally found someone to love me with no strings attached. I hope you know I love you with no strings attached too."

He shuddered involuntarily, his secret gnawing at him. She had bared most, if not all, of her secrets to him now. All she wanted was complete and total honesty. He needed to come clean with her.

But it would have to be later. Lucy was on to a new subject.

"Natsu?" she asked quietly, "Are you sorry? That you don't know your parents...or if you have any siblings?"

Natsu didn't know what to say to that, "I guess I don't miss having parents or siblings because I've never had them to begin with."

"Do you want children of your own?"

Natsu frowned, "I don't know. I've never thought about it as a possibility before."

"You were so good with the kids at the aquarium," she smiled, blushing, "You'd be an amazing father. I would love to have kids with you...one day."

Natsu had a million questions to ask. He loved the idea of having kids of his own, now that he thought about it. He wanted to be a father! He'd never allowed himself to think about it before, since he never had parents of his own and had never even come close to the possibility before. Where did kids come from anyway?

He promised himself he would find an opportunity to talk to her _later_ …because right now, she was kissing him again. The earlier topic of conversation was over and now was the time for kissing and caressing. It was seriously becoming his favourite pastime.

"Luce," he whispered softly, "I want to have _everything_ with you one day."

She blushed again despite herself, "Then maybe...maybe we should start with learning to touch each other...without blushing?"

He grinned into her lips, "Yeah," he said, kissing her deeply, "Let's start there."

* * *

Levy and Gajeel sat at an out-of-the-way corner table in small restaurant. Levy was playing with the straw from her milkshake as Gajeel spread his pictures out to take a closer look at things.

"I'm waiting," Levy reminded him impatiently, "You have some explaining to do."

Gajeel looked up, crunching on his fries, "About what?"

She leaned forward, removing his fries from him so that he'd have to pay attention to the conversation. He placed his hand overtop of hers, edging the fries back to his side of the table.

"Who are you?" Levy asked, her eyes showing the slightest glint of worry. She didn't remove her hand, instead intertwining her fingers with his. She knew now that she was definitely attracted to Gajeel. It was getting harder to push the feelings away, "And don't give me that shit about Gajeel, the orphan from Crocus, who grew up to be a cop. You and I both know some unnatural things happened just now. Please level with me."

"I want something in return if I tell you the truth," Gajeel said, rubbing circles into her palm with his thumb.

"What do you want?" she asked in a voice that dared him to challenge her.

"I want you to tell me your secret too," Gajeel said, staring her in the eyes, "Your question goes both ways: who are you, Shrimp?"

"You first," she whispered. Her head was spinning.

"My name _is_ actually Gajeel Redfox, like I told you. I'm actually a cop. Those parts is true," Gajeel said slowly, reaching for her other hand. She let him have it, "The part you don't know about is that I'm a Mulligan Angel."

"…Of Heaven," Levy finished the thought. He tightened his grip on both of her hands as she threatened to pull her hands away, "What's a Mulligan Angel?"

"It's my job to expose criminals and give them a chance to rectify their behaviour," Gajeel said softly, "Heaven doesn't want anyone to go to Hell. Everyone gets a second chance. It's not letting them off the hook...they have to own up to their mistakes, but they have a chance to right their wrongs or at least show remorse for it. I've been assigned as a police officer for a long time, Lev. Sometimes I even forget my true purpose. Sometimes I don't even have to rectify a person's behaviour…just set them on the right path. Other times, the criminal refuses to changes his/her ways and there's nothing I can do to save them."

She frowned, "That must be hard some days. I can't imagine how it would feel to try so hard, just to have the person refuse your help. Mulligan...what an odd name. Mulligan sounds like…"

"…some kind of golf move. I know," Gajeel finished her sentence, "But essentially, it's the same idea. They made a bad move and it's totally messed things up. They're given a second chance to do better."

They both chuckled a bit. They were playing with each other's fingers still.

"Guardians don't have the same kind of abilities," Levy said softly, "I'm assuming you already know my secret."

Gajeel nodded, "I didn't know that you're Guardian until just now, but I had my suspicions. I saw Natsu that day. That's what gave it away. What Division is he?"

"Cupid," Levy replied.

Gajeel almost choked, " _Natsu_ is in the Cupid Division? Seriously? He's not a very good Angel, falling in love with his assignment!"

Levy's eyes were downcast as she nodded, "We've all tried to say something, but it's getting harder and harder. We all love them together."

"You, Erza and Gray, right?" Gajeel pried.

She nodded, "Ya."

"And Gray…he's Juvia's Gray, isn't he?"

She nodded, "I had a feeling you'd have put that together. Gotta say, Gajeel…you're one smart guy."

He watched her eyes get darker, like she was sad about something.

"How would you rectify Gray and Juvia?" she asked him softly, "They belong together. It was absolutely tragic what happened to them. And what about Lucy and Natsu? There's _got_ to be a way to make it right. Can you 'mulligan' what happened to all of them?"

Gajeel shook his head sadly, "I want a happy ending for all of them too. But those situations are beyond my control."

Levy nodded, changing the subject.

"So those years you were separated from Juvia…"

"I died," Gajeel confirmed, "I was shot when I was 15...at a drug bust. I was put onto the Mulligan team to help rectify my mistakes. It was a condition of my getting into Heaven. I was given a second chance. My time on the Mulligan Team expired, but I stayed on because the work is so rewarding."

Levy felt a tear roll down her cheek, "I'm so sorry, Gajeel."

He shrugged, lifting one of his hands to gently remove the tear from her face, "Don't you cry, Lev. I'm not unhappy. It's been satisfying to do what I can to make things right in the world. I've been able to help a lot of people."

"Juvia...is she -?"

"Naw," Gajeel interrupted, "She's alive. She thinks I was going through training to be a cop while I was gone. She doesn't know I'm dead. I love her too much to tell her. She does, however, know the basic situation with you and Lucy."

Levy nodded. She suspected Juvia knew the basics all along, "So what's Juvia _really_ doing today?"

"Research," Gajeel replied, "She's checking to see if Heartfilia still has ties to Crocus at all. It's been a couple years since his death, but something doesn't sit right with me."

Levy narrowed her eyes, "But Jude's empire ceased and desisted with his death. Everything is sitting in trust still. Lucy can go claim her inheritance at any time. She just...doesn't want to. Going home for the inheritance would be like an announcement to Dan and Samuel of her location. The media would catch on to it. We're making it just fine on our own..she doesn't want her inheritance."

"So Jude's empire is unclaimed right now?" Gajeel clarified.

She nodded. He hummed to himself, making mental notes.

"How are our abilities are different?" Levy asked, changing the subject again.

He took her hand again so he was holding both, "I can't flit in the _shadows_ or use _transparency_. My abilities are the power of illusion and persuasion…and my whole body is made of iron. Each Mulligan Angel has a special body composition. Mine is iron and the ability to manipulate it. Being a cop, that comes in handy…a lot."

"That's how we got past the desk clerk…you _persuaded_ her."

Gajeel nodded, "And used _illusion_ to make her see the name I told her."

"And that's how you broke the bricks."

He nodded again, "Iron thighs."

She tried to smile, a joke forming on her lips, but his serious look stopped her.

"I want to help you," he said softly.

"That's what Gray and Natsu are here for," Levy said.

Gajeel nodded, "But Gray and Natsu can't protect you the way I can…the way that I want to."

They locked eyes, their hands tightening around each other. Gajeel paused, taking in her dark, brown eyes and azure-blue hair.

"You're really pretty, Shrimp," he said softly, leaning in across the table.

She met him halfway, accepting his gentle kiss.

They parted, keeping their eyes locked on each other, both turning shades of red.

"I want to do that again," Gajeel said honestly, "but I'll get back to kissing your pretty little face after we've looked over the evidence. I'll need to call my cousins in to confiscate the gold bars."

"Are they part of your Heavenly group, or are they actually your cousins?" Levy asked.

"We all belong to a new division of Heaven called Crime Sorciere. The head of our division will be notified as to what's going on too, but will probably send Wendy and Erik to help us since they currently don't have an assignment. Wendy is my little cousin, but I call her my sister since we were raised together. I told you once she lived with Grandmother Grandeeney. It's only partially true. She's Grandeeney's Guardian. Grandeeney died last year, so Wendy has been standing by, waiting for orders. She's retrained as a cop in the last year for Crime Sorciere, even though she has no debt to pay. She lived a clean life. Wendy is a Changeover Angel...she helps people deal with their own deaths...which is why she's such an asset. Erik is my actual cousin too, and so is the head of the Division, Jellal. Erik and I are both Mulligan Angels. Jellal is kind of a jack of all trades, which is why he's the head of the Division. He works mostly Mulligan."

Levy nodded, "So you yell up to the clouds? Press some magic button? How do you communicate with them?"

He snickered, "We're an Earthland-based operation. We use cell phones."

She nodded again.

"But I'm not going to call them from here. Let's go back to the hotel."

He didn't let go of her hand as he left money on the table for their bill, then led her out of the restaurant, fingers still intertwined.

* * *

Juvia lowered her sunglasses, writing down the location as 'notta' for Gajeel. She'd spent the morning staking out Jude Heartfilia's old locations in Crocus. There seemed to be minimal activity in any of the locations and she was pretty sure the activity she did witness was unrelated to anything she was looking for.

Gajeel had suspected the library drug ring was related to Heartfilia's old crime ring somehow. She glanced at her watch, then to the warehouse across the street. It was the one Gajeel and Levy were checking out earlier this morning, although she was pretty sure they'd be gone by now. She hated that she was going back to the hotel empty-handed, but supposed it was good in a way. Operations were definitely shut down in Crocus.

* * *

Gray had found a way to open the gold bars with minimal noise. The warehouse was starting to shut down. He could hear the noises outside the room, but he was onto something and needed to finish his task.

He had gone back out into the main warehouse and managed to 'borrow' a hammer and a can of Freon. If he made the gold bar cold enough, he could crack it open with the hammer enough to get to the contents inside. It wasn't real gold…and whatever the bars had been made out of was not an impossible to break substance. So far, he'd managed to find some more pictures of Porla. There was a picture of Jude standing over a body as well. These people were hard-core, and the aftermath of their grudge match just got more and more brutal the further Gray dove through the evidence.

The next gold bar he cracked open had something different in it. He took out the paper and unfolded it carefully. His eyes widened. It was a letter from someone named Kari written to Jude, dated for just before the major drug bust that took Porla down.

 _Dear Jude:_

 _It's all set up. Jose will be at the discussed location when the police arrive. I have enclosed pictures that I took around his compound to further implicate him. I've got everything you asked for: Pictures of the cocaine shipments...with Jose in some of the shots. Unfortunately for you, I also have shots implicating you the same way. Don't double cross me._

 _I should tell you too that the DNA test came back. The child is not yours. I guess that means he's Jose's. I have dumped him at some orphanage in the slums of some random city. I can't look at him, knowing he's got Jose's blood running through him._

 _I'll pick up my portion of the bounty at the discussed location. We won't see each other again. I'm sorry, Jude. I really thought we'd have a future together._

 _Kari_

Gray frowned. That was the name that Gajeel had been running at the police station. So who was she? From the note, he could gather that she had something to do with both Jude and Jose Porla and that the 'child' could have been either Jude's or Jose's.

He flashed back in his memory to being told how Natsu died. Mira had told him Natsu had been abandoned in a neighbourhood in the slums when he died. Was it possible?

He went to the next bar, this time finding evidence on Jude.

The bar after had another letter which told him who the child was that 'Kari' had abandoned. It also explained the entire feud between Porla and Heartfilia. His eyes widened in horror. Now he understood the story...and he was pretty sure Gajeel hadn't made this connection yet. The sooner he knew, the better.

He cracked one last bar, opening another letter from Layla. It was a timeline, detailing the events up until she sent the bars to this room. Gray was shaking his head in disbelief.

He'd seen enough. Gray flitted to the shadows, carrying some of the evidence with him. He needed to have a talk with Gajeel. Whether he liked the guy or not, and whether Gajeel had the ability to expose him to Juvia or not, they needed police involvement immediately. Maybe he could somehow get Levy to tell him so his identity would remain protected.

As he exited the warehouse, he looked across the street. Juvia was hustling down the alley in the opposite direction. Something in the shadows moved. Gray's heart threatened to seize.

She was being followed.

Cursing to himself, Gray changed direction. Gajeel would have to wait.

* * *

Sting was following the man from the library at a distance. Rogue was jogging ahead to catch up to him. The man was walking toward a red Camry, parked some ways from the library.

"Excuse me, sir!" Rogue called, holding up an arm to get the man's attention.

The bald man looked back, "Me?"

"Yes sir!" Rogue approached him, watching for signs that the man would run. He flipped open his badge, "I'm Constable Rogue Chenery, Magnolia Police Department. I just want to ask you a few questions."

"I've done nothing wrong," the man stated, starting to walk away.

"Really? Because that's not what a certain librarian told me," Rogue stood in front of him.

The man glanced around, realizing that Sting had come up behind him.

"You've been positively identified as a man who threatened an employee at the library the other day," Sting told him, "You'll need to come down to the station with us. It's just questioning at this point. You aren't being arrested if you just come quietly."

The man narrowed his eyes, "Today was the first time I've ever been to the library."

"Really? Because the girl said you've been looking for someone _else_ who works at the library. Let's go talk about it at the station," Rogue said, "Please turn around and put your hands behind your back."

"Yeah," the man said, feigning like he was going to turn around and do as he was told, "I don't think so."

He grabbed Rogue by the hair, bringing his head down on his knee, then kneed him a second time in the stomach. Rogue cried out as Sting jumped on his back, grabbing both his arms. The man turned and slammed Sting into a nearby tree repeatedly until he let go, slumping to the ground. He kicked his steel-toed boot into Sting's head, and then ran. A red Camry appeared, squealing the tires as it sped away. The man was still hanging out the window.

"Are you dead, Rogue?" Sting called out after a minute, attempting to get up from the ground. He was going to have a nasty headache between the smash of his head against the tree and the blow to his head. The boot had actually caught him at the edge of his left eye. Sting was pretty sure he'd have a shiner in the morning.

Rogue stood up, pinching his nose as he leaned forward, "He broke my fuckin' nose!"

Sting looked in the direction that the car had gone.

"Shit…how did he get the upper hand so fast?" Rogue was applying pressure to his nose as best as he could, but it was gushing blood.

"I dunno," Sting said, removing his shirt and handing it to Rogue, "but there's no doubt he had enough strength to do what he did to Laki. We need to watch out for that car and we need to tell our superiors. Did you get a look at the driver?"

Rogue shook his head, still leaning forward into the shirt.

Sting kicked the ground in frustration. They blew it. It was doubtful the man would make the mistake of being seen by them a second time.

Erza watched from the shadows. If she wasn't angry before, she was now. She flitted off to the hotel to await their return, already planning what kinds of hell she was going to rain down on them.

* * *

Dan and Samuel were both swearing under their breath as they rigged the car with a heavy rock on the gas pedal of the red car. They were at the top of a cliff. It was a 2000 ft drop, straight into the ocean. The police would have a hard time finding enough parts of the car to identify it. By that time, they intended to be long gone.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dan shouted, "You completely blew our cover!"

"I didn't see you there, backing me up!" Samuel yelled back, "What was I supposed to do?"

" _NOT BEAT UP THE COPS!_ " Dan bellowed, "You should have _gone with them_ , feigned innocence, then gotten released!"

"The Laki girl told on me!" Samuel hissed, "They had evidence. She was probably at the library and identified me!"

Dan spat on the ground, "Well, now you've gone and screwed it up. We can't even go back to the hotel."

"They didn't see you," Samuel argued, "Our hotel is far enough out of the way, they won't find me there. We'll jack another car, no big deal."

"Fine," Dan started walking down the highway toward Magnolia, Samuel tagging reluctantly behind.

They stuck their thumbs out as cars passed. Eventually an older woman pulled aside in an older gold Buick.

"Are you young men having car trouble?" she asked sweetly.

Dan nodded, using his most innocent look, "Yes m'am. So sorry to bother you."

"Oh it's not a bother. I'm alone and it's nice to have the company sometimes. Please get in. I'll take you as far as Magnolia. I'm not from there. I'll be travelling through, but at least you'll be somewhere that you can make phone calls."

Dan and Samuel exchanged glances. She was alone. She wasn't from Magnolia.

"M'am," Samuel said, stooping to the window. He stuck a gun in her face, "I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the car."


	38. Chapter 38

Gray walked in the _shadows_ quickly after whomever was following Juvia, ready to pounce as he got closer to her. Juvia stopped, looking over her shoulder. The man backed against the wall, hidden from her view, then allowed her a decent lead before resuming following her. His hair was bright blue and Gray really couldn't be sure how he thought he was hiding. It stuck out, even against the shadowy alley. Still, he was _familiar_ to Gray somehow. Gray couldn't put a finger on it, but he knew this person. He didn't think Juvia was in any immediate danger.

Juvia crossed the road to a small shop, entering it. The man ducked behind a magazine stand, pretending to look at some magazines, but he could see her clearly through the shop window.

Knowing Juvia was headed back to the hotel, Gray decided he might have to confront the man.

He solidified and approached cautiously. The man's attention was solely on Juvia.

"Wanna tell me why you're tailing my friend, Buddy?" Gray asked in a clear voice.

The man froze, then turned slowly. One side of his face adorned a red tattoo.

"Wanna tell me why you're tailing _me?"_ he shot back.

Gray sighed, "You're tailing my friend. So that's a stupid question. Now who the hell are you?"

The man stood up. He was just as tall as Gray and just as toned. Gray figured if it came to it, it would be a pretty even fight.

"Stand down, Angel," the man said flatly, "I'm not going to hurt her."

Gray's eyes narrowed.

"I work with Gajeel," the man continued, "And he's called for my help."

"Really?" Gray said sarcastically as he sized the man up again, "With what? Stalking single women through the streets of Crocus?"

The man laughed, "You're really going to challenge me?"

"I'm going to ask you one more time first," Gray said, anger edging his voice, "Who…in the hell…are you?"

"My name is Jellal," the man said, offering his hand, "And I suggest if you don't want Juvia to see us that we get off the street. I'm not meeting up with Gajeel tonight. I have a few more things to look after. And now that you're here, I can be on my way."

Gray looked at the extended hand, then back at Jellal's face, "Why in the hell would I trust you? And why are you following Juvia?"

"Simple," Jellal stated, "I've been sent as back up at Gajeel's request. He didn't want Juvia wandering Crocus alone…if I'm lying, you know Gajeel will tear me apart. Now are you going to shake my hand or not?"

Gray glanced back at the extended hand, slowly reaching out for it.

Jellal broke out into a wide grin, "Great. Make sure Juvia gets back to the hotel all right. I'll be around. I'll come talk to all of you when the time is right."

Gray's head was reeling. Jellal had said, 'Stand down, Angel'. That meant Gajeel had something to do with Heaven too. And if Heaven had sent even more reinforcements, that meant the situation was getting entirely out of hand.

He turned to ask another question, then grunted in absolute annoyance. Jellal was gone. Juvia was just coming out of the shop. Flitting back to the shadows, he followed her closely, but he didn't catch sight of Jellal at all on their way back to the hotel.

* * *

Juvia arrived back at the hotel at the same time as Gajeel and Levy.

"Hey! How did it go?" Juvia flashed a grin at them, noting their flushed faces.

"Good," Levy told her, "We got some good information today."

"I need you to do me a favour, Juves…I need you to keep Lucy busy for awhile. I need to meet with everyone else."

"I can do that," Juvia agreed, "But Lucy and I don't know each other _that_ well outside of work…how will I get her to come with me?"

"Tell her you need a swimsuit for tonight so we can go to the hot springs tonight," Levy suggested.

Juvia nodded, "Okay…sounds like a plan."

They entered the hotel together. Levy and Juvia said goodbye to Gajeel as he disappeared to his room to clean himself up, then headed for Levy's room, assuming Lucy would probably be there.

The room was completely empty.

"Maybe they're not back yet," Juvia said.

"Maybe," Levy agreed, "But it's getting toward dinnertime…you'd think they'd be back soon."

Juvia closed the door, sitting on Lucy's bed, "Nothing happened in my corner of things," she pouted, "There's no evidence of anything related to Jude Heartfilia's dealings left in Crocus at any of his old locations."

Levy nodded, "I didn't think there would be. Jude's been gone for over a year."

"Gajeel thought it was worth questioning though," Juvia said, "There's a reason behind everything he does."

"He's definitely a good cop," Levy agreed.

Juvia nodded, "Levy, can I ask you something?"

Levy sat on the bed, making direct eye contact with Juvia as she sat across from her.

"Your friend, Gray..."Juvia's voice trailed off.

"He's working this weekend," Levy said, "He's in Human Resources."

"Do you know him fairly well?" Juvia asked.

Levy gave a half-smile, "Yeah. I guess so. He's one of my best friends. He's just gone a lot because of his job."

Juvia nodded, falling silent.

"Juvia?"

"It's fine," Juvia said softly, "I used to have a friend named Gray. I'm thinking about him a lot today. It would have been his 24th birthday."

Levy hugged her, "I'm sorry, Juvia. I'm sure that must be so hard. What do you say after you and Lucy get back from shopping that we girls have fun? Just the three of us?"

Juvia's face lit up, "I think I'd like that!"

* * *

Sting and Rogue had both gotten a good look at the man who had managed to best the both of them. They were using the police station sketch artist to narrow down the description so they could try to figure out who he was. Neither had seen the get-away driver.

Erza sat in the shadows, _nudging_ them to remember different details until she was satisfied they had a pretty good depiction. Erza had waited at the hotel for hours before deciding to come and see what Sting and Rogue were doing. She was glad her hunch was right - they were all over this situation now.

The sketch artist leaned back, "Like that?"

"Yes, Reedus!" Sting exclaimed, "That's him!"

Rogue and Sting both bent over, examining the sketch.

" _That_ man gave you both injuries?" Reedus glanced at them incredulously, "Are you sure he's only that tall?"

" _Thank you, Reedus,"_ Rogue said pointedly, "Good job!"

Reedus shook his head as he took his art materials. He took the hint and left the room. Sting and Rogue were two of the most decorated cops Magnolia had to offer. Thugs feared them because they knew it was only a matter of time once Sting and Rogue had them in their line of vision before they'd go down for their crimes.

And yet today, they were both a mess. Both of Rogue's eyes had gone black and his nose was crooked. Sting had a nasty lump on his head and a black eye. They weren't exactly proud of what of happened.

"Put it through the face recognition screen," Sting said.

"On it," Rogue informed, scanning the sketch.

They both waited impatiently as the database searched thousands of profiles.

"Gotcha, you bastard," Sting said quietly as a single profile came up, "Samuel Zentopia."

Rogue, Sting and Erza all leaned forward to start reading the information on the page.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy were lying in bed after an intense make-out session, cuddling. Natsu's eyes were wide as he stared at the ceiling, in awe of the things he'd just learned.

She giggled, "You look so goofy with that look on your face."

They were both naked from the waist up. She reached for her bra, mimicking Natsu's groan as she put it on.

"We'll find each other later on," she promised, "It's getting close to supper time now. Everyone else will be on their way back."

"But Luceeeee," Natsu whined.

She put her shirt on and leaned back onto his chest, "You're amazing, Natsu. I've never felt so close to anyone before. I can tell you things I've never told another living being, even Levy."

He kissed her forehead, "I need to tell you something too, Luce. I want us to be completely open with each other."

"And that's what's beautiful about us," she replied, "We can tell each other anything."

She sat up on the bed. Natsu sat up as well, facing her.

She handed him his shirt and sat back on the bed to put a bit of distance between them so she could give him her full attention. His abs drove her crazy and she could see another make out session in their future if he didn't put the shirt back on immediately.

"I'm listening," she said softly.

"What I'm about to tell you doesn't change anything," Natsu said slowly, racking his brain for the right words, "I love you. With everything I have. You're the only thing in my life that makes sense. And I'll do everything in my power to make sure we're never separated."

She frowned, "You're scaring me, Natsu...are you still worried about the Dan issue? Are you worried we can't be together?"

Natsu took a deep breath, suddenly unable to speak. He panicked. Lucy looked like she was torn between wanting to cry and wanting to beat the truth out of him.

"Natsu..." she said gently, "Please."

"That's not it at all!" he blurted out, taking her hand, "The Dan thing doesn't make me nervous...it makes me want to protect you even more. There's no chance of me having second thoughts because I'm worried or think we can't be together because of Dan, Luce. I'm not going anywhere. I love you and I need you just as much as I hope you need me."

He paused, letting her see the sincerity in his words.

"So...I'm not sure how to explain it to you other than to tell you straight out. I'm an Ang-"

There was pounding at the door.

Natsu and Lucy glanced at each other. Natsu rose from the bed, peeping through the door hole (which had been explained to him when they'd checked into the hotel. It was a huge game for the first hour for Natsu...trying to peep through the hole to tell who was passing his room at any given time).

"Gajeel," Natsu told her as he opened the door.

"We're going to supper in an hour," Gajeel grunted, peering over Natsu's shoulder to wave at Lucy, "Then hot springs."

"Can we go to the _buffet_ again?" Natsu squealed.

"Yeah...that's the plan," Gajeel said, "See you outside in the hall...ONE HOUR."

Natsu started to close the door again when Juvia and Levy burst it back open.

"I need your help, Lucy!" Juvia exclaimed, "I need a swimsuit for the hot springs tonight! Please -will you come with me? Levy says she can't go because she promised to talk to Gajeel...you're my only hope!"

Lucy glanced to Natsu helplessly and she was dragged to her feet and out of the room.

"Um...Bye Luce," Natsu muttered, "I guess we'll talk later."

Levy plopped down on the bed beside him, "It was a ruse."

"What was?"

"Juvia brought 2 swimsuits. She's getting Lucy out of the way so we Angels can talk."

Natsu looked down at his fingers, still thinking about Lucy and how he had to come clean with her, "Juvia knows we're Angels?"

Levy should her head, correcting him, "Juvia knows we're investigating something."

He nodded, "Okay. Where are we meeting?"

"Gajeel's suite."

Natsu got off the bed and left the room, sighing heavily as he checked to make sure he'd remembered the key this time. The hotel staff were getting ornery with him every time he had to ask to be let back into his room.

"We learned a lot today," Levy said as they knocked on Gajeel's door. He opened it and beckoned them inside. Natsu could sense Gray there, although he knew why he'd have to be in the _shadows_.

* * *

Dan was showing Lucy's face to people on the street again. Samuel waited impatiently inside the gold car, wanting to hit the gas pedal so he just run over the moron. Dan was busy agreeing with some old man that Lucy was very pretty.

Dan petitioned a younger girl, about 16, "Excuse me - have you seen this girl?"

The girl looked at the picture, eyes narrowing, "Nope."

Dan nodded, "Thank you. If you remember, please let me know. She's my little sister."

The girl stalked away quickly.

A man probably in his 40's was walking by. Dan shoved the picture in his face, "Excuse me - have you seen this girl?"

The man reached for the picture, a little surprised when Dan yanked it out of his reach.

"Sorry," Dan apologized, "The picture is precious to me. I don't let anyone hold it. Just look at it please...do you recognize her?"

The man cocked his head, looking into the eyes of the younger Lucy in the picture.

"Yeah," the man said slowly, "I'm pretty sure that's the waitress at 8-Island."

Dan's heart thumped, "Where is that?"

The man pointed down the road a bit, "Turn right at 9th Avenue. Left hand side. About 3 blocks from here."

Dan glanced back at the car victoriously as he strolled to the passenger door.

"There's a restaurant up ahead," he told Samuel, "Lucy's a waitress there."

Samuel tried to start the car. It turned over multiple times, but did not start. He was unimpressed with the crappy car. But it got them back to Magnolia.

"We need new wheels. There's no chance we can make a getaway if we have to in this pile of shit."

"Let's do it after lunch!" Dan was practically salivating, "My Lucy is only 3 blocks away! We have to go to her!"

Samuel lowered his sunglasses, " _CAR FIRST_!" he insisted, " _We can't make a getaway in this pile of shit_."

Dan sighed, kicking the dashboard, "You killed a little old lady for this car. The least you could have done was use it for more than 12 hours."

"Oh look who's getting all morally correct on me!" Samuel sneered, "C'mon. Let's go back to the highway. There must be other tourists out there."

"You get a car, I'll go so see my Lucy!" Dan suggested.

"Great idea," Samuel hissed, "Get caught at the restaurant groping the waitress and have no escape plan."

"Fine," Dan conceded, "Let's just hurry up about it."

This time the car started. It back-fired before Samuel finally got it out onto the road, squealing the tires as he did a U-turn and almost side-swiping a family crossing the road. He saw them take out their cell phones to call it in. It didn't matter. This car would disappear into oblivion over the same cliff the other one did in about 30 minutes.

* * *

Erza flitted to the forest, letting out a feral roar that shook the trees and made the birds fly upward. She punched a tree angrily, making it fall over.

The situation was far worse than any of them originally thought. There was Laki's assault, yes. The poor girl was _still_ terrified. She was sitting in the police station this morning, still unable to go home due to paralyzing fear. She was waiting for an available cop to drive her home and stay with her.

But Erza had just learned Samuel Zentopia's history. It was long and bloody, dating back to well before Jose Porla was put into jail. At the tender age of 15, he had joined Porla's crime syndicate. Or at least it was the first time he'd been captured on police records. He was used as a drug delivery kid. Often these kids were caught in the crossfire whenever things went down between the police and higher syndicate criminals. By 16, Samuel had killed his first victim. He was tried as a child, since he was not 18 and served 2 years in a penitentiary. At age 20, he was present during a drug raid at Jose Porla's mansion. This was the one that killed multiple people, including a cop. The police knew that Samuel had been present, but could not locate him afterward to arrest him. He went unnoticed for several years after that.

But upon further investigation, Rogue and Sting had noticed a new pattern that had gone largely unnoticed since it was so spread out across Fiore. For the last 5 or 6 years, different towns had reported crimes that were never solved. A missing car...a body on the side of the road...random shootings and/or beatings...the list went on. At multiple locations, Samuel's face had been caught on cameras...never at the scene, but nearby. As Rogue and Sting tried to figure out the pattern, Erza realized that these were the towns that Lucy and Levy must have settled in over the years.

Laki was not their first victim. In fact, the victim count numbered in the 30's or 40's. The deeper Rogue and Sting got into their investigation, the more Erza began to understand just how terrified Lucy and Levy must have been for all these years. And this information only covered Samuel's history. Rogue and Sting didn't know about Dan yet, although she tried multiple times to push them to see his name the odd time it came up in the documents.

Releasing one more cry of anger, Erza furrowed her brow. She was going to find Samuel and Dan if it was the last thing she did. They hadn't returned to the hotel last night, but Erza knew better than to think they were gone. She was beyond angry. They were going to pay for all the people who got injured or died in their wake. And the trend would stop. Erza would make sure of that.

 _ **SUPER INTENSE CHAPTER NEXT TIME...MAJOR REVEALS IMMINENT!**_

 _ **Stay tuned :P**_


	39. Chapter 39

Gray was in the _shadows_ of Gajeel's room as Levy and Natsu came through the door. Gajeel closed and locked it behind them, gesturing toward the beds as a place to sit.

"You might as well join us, Gray," Gajeel said loudly, "I know you're there."

Gray's eyes widened, but he stepped out in solid form and joined Natsu on one bed while Gajeel and Levy sat on the other.

"So…a lot has happened today," Gajeel said slowly, "I think we need to get on the same page."

"Let's start with you," Gray suggested, a suspicious edge to his voice, "Who - and what - in the hell are you?"

"Mind not raising your voice to me?" Gajeel stood up, Gray following his lead. Standing toe-to-toe, Gajeel stood a half foot taller than Gray's 5'11" frame. That didn't intimidate Gray at all. He stood his ground.

Levy bounced off the bed, getting between them. They both dwarfed her 5'0" frame, "C'mon guys – there's no reason for hostility. We're all on the same side here."

Harrumphing, Gajeel sat back down obediently.

Gray stood still. Levy placed her hand on Gray's chest.

"Please, Gray," she said softly, "I trust him, okay?"

Gajeel growled at the contact between them. Gray smirked at him as he bent down and kissed Levy's cheek, lingering his lips there for a moment.

"Okay, Lev. I'll listen."

Gray couldn't help feeling a bit hostile. Gajeel was cheating him out of yet another relationship. Both Levy _and_ Juvia thought he was sooo great…served the pierced bastard right if he was feeling jealous right now.

He sat back down anyway to hear Gajeel out.

"I'm a Mulligan Angel," Gajeel stated as Levy gestured for him to continue, "I was sent to Magnolia for a different mission, but fell face-first into this one."

"Well, it's not your mission!" Gray spat, "So feel free to back off any time."

 _So much for listening._

"Not happening!" Gajeel stood back up, Gray immediately did the same.

"SIT DOWN!" Levy shouted, "Are you Kindergarten children? BOTH OF YOU – GROW UP!"

Natsu stifled a giggle. Little Levy was very forceful when she wanted to be. He _loved_ Pissed-Off-Levy.

Gajeel opened his mouth again and Levy stuck a finger in the air, warning him to stay quiet. Gray smirked. Levy shot him an angry glare.

"Since you two are busy sulking at each other more than keeping to the task at hand, _I'll_ do the talking," she stated, "So shut up and listen!"

Natsu couldn't contain his chuckle. Pissed-Off-Levy was _so awesome._ Gajeel and Gray both shot him evil glares.

"A Mulligan Angel is an Angel who gives criminals and people who are living their lives dangerously a chance to come clean and change their lives so they can still go to Heaven," Levy told Natsu and Gray, "They pose as cops here on Earthland and even get the training to back them up."

Natsu put his hand up, bouncing wildly where he sat.

Levy cocked her head and furrowed her brow...he looked like a school child, putting his hand up to tell the teacher he had something to say. While she had no clue where he'd learn that behaviour, she had to admit Natsu was pretty cute when he was acting like that. She wondered why he'd never done that before, but then realized that it was because of Gajeel. He considered Levy and Gray colleagues, but Gajeel was a new level of Angel. Natsu was showing respect.

"Yes, Natsu?"

"So a 'Mulligan Angel' gives bad people a do-over?"

She nodded, "Yes. They get a second chance."

Natsu grin nearly split his face, "So you might say Gajeel is a Doover? That sounds better than Mulligan, right?" He tried it out, "Doover Angels…definitely better than Mulligan."

Levy sighed...scratch the respect theory.

Gray face-palmed, _"DO OVER,_ Natsu. If you don't like the term 'Mulligan', use Do-over. Not Doover."

Gajeel was turning red with anger, "NEITHER of you should be making fun of my Division! Especially you, _Angel of Oops,_ considering you're playing _house_ with your assignment!"

"Gajeel!" Levy thundered.

Gajeel threw both hands up by his face in surrender, "Sorry, Levy."

Levy pointed to the other side of the bed where there was a chair.

"GO!" she ordered.

Gajeel hung his head as he moved to the chair in the corner of the room.

She pointed to a chair on the opposite corner, "Gray – over there."

"What did I do?" Gray demanded.

"GO!" she thundered.

He scrambled to comply. Natsu almost fell over as he tried to contain his glee at Gajeel AND Gray facing off with Pissed-Off-Levy. The big bad men were no match for her.

"Okay…if we can PLEASE stop being children, let's talk about our discoveries today. Gajeel and I – and Gray in the shadows – went to the warehouse today. We discovered that there is evidence inside the gold bars that will incriminate both Jose Porla and Jude Heartfilia. Gajeel thinks it's a good idea to get his Division here to Crocus to confiscate the gold bars and find a way to release it to police."

"Wait," Natsu interrupted, "What kind of evidence?"

"Photos," Gajeel supplied, "Photos of their illegal activities. Letters from Lucy's mother."

"There's more than that," Gray said in a low voice, "I stayed after you left, which is why this whole Doover Angel thing is news to me."

" _Mulligan!"_ Gajeel spat, standing up again.

At Levy's glare, he sat down immediately.

"I opened a few more bars after you left," Gray continued, completely ignoring Gajeel's death glare, "And I found some really interesting things."

He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a couple letters.

Gajeel's eyes opened in surprise before he hit the wall behind him, "You removed evidence? What the hell? Are you stupid?"

"Just listen!" Gray yelled.

Levy shot warning glances at both of them. Natsu watched with wide eyes and a dopey grin. This was _really good entertainment_. The tension was insane! Pissed-Off-Levy was about to go ape-shit on both Gray and Gajeel's asses! He kind of hoped she would!

Gray opened the letter up, "It's from a lady by the name of Kari. I know you were researching her, Gajeel. She was a common lover of both Jose and Jude."

"Lucy said that today," Natsu put in, "She said that she was pretty sure there was another woman and that Layla knew about it. That's why she never wanted to visit the storage room."

Levy smiled gratefully at Natsu. He wasn't completely clueless. He _did_ pay attention.

Gray read the letter from Kari out loud, pausing to let the effect sink in.

 _Dear Jude:_

 _It's all set up. Jose will be at the discussed location when the police arrive. I have enclosed pictures that I took around his compound to further implicate him. I've got everything you asked for: Pictures of the cocaine shipments...with Jose in some of the shots. Unfortunately for you, I also have shots implicating you the same way. Don't double cross me._

 _I should tell you too that the DNA test came back. The child is not yours. I guess that means he's Jose's. I have dumped him at some orphanage in the slums of some random city. I can't look at him, knowing he's got Jose's blood running through him._

 _I'll pick up my portion of the bounty at the discussed location. We won't see each other again. I'm sorry, Jude. I really thought we'd have a future together._

 _Kari_

"She _abandoned_ her child?" Levy said slowly, a pained look crossing her face as she glanced at Natsu. Natsu had been completely abandoned too.

"Natsu was my first thought too," Gray said, unfolding the next paper, "But then I found this."

He passed a picture to Levy.

"Oh my Mavis," she said under breath as she read the accompanying note.

"What is it?" Gajeel asked.

"It's a picture of Kari," Levy said slowly, sitting beside him to show him the picture, "And he looks just like her!"

"Who?" Natsu asked, bouncing in his seat, "Who looks like Kari?"

She showed Natsu too. His mouth formed an 'ohhhhh' motion. He stopped bouncing. Kari had fiery red hair and a jutted jaw.

"Read the letter to them," Gray suggested.

 _Dear Jude:_

 _I hope you know that you and Jose have completely ruined my life. I'm leaving. I'm going to go as far away from here as I can. Please don't try to find me. It's time for you to concentrate on your wife and baby. I hear Layla is afflicted with horrible morning sickness. I hope her pregnancy will be easier than mine._

 _You can still get out, Jude. All the things that happened. All of the pain. All the suffering. All the death. It doesn't have to be this way, especially since if I leave, you and Jose will have nothing to fight about anymore. Walk away, Jude. Go back to being legit. Be the husband and father you were meant to be._

 _I dumped my baby too soon. I shouldn't have done it. He's an innocent little boy and it's not his fault that he's Jose Porla's son. I'm going to try to get him back from the orphanage, but it's been so long now...will he even remember me? I left a note there with his name on it: Daniel Jude Straight. Maybe if I ask for him, they'll give me a chance to explain why I left him and let me have him back._

 _Goodbye Jude. Don't look for me._

 _Kari_

Everyone sat still for a moment, absorbing the information.

"Dan Straight is Jose Porla's son?" Natsu said slowly, "And Kari named Porla's son _after Jude?"_

Gray gestured for everyone to come closer. He laid a piece of paper on the table, "There's more. Check this out."

"A timeline," Levy breathed out, "From Lucy's mother."

Gray continued, "Layla wrote this letter and included the timeline knowing that one day, Lucy would probably be in trouble. You can read the letter later if you want to. Basically, she tells Lucy that she's sorry she couldn't protect her better. Jude and Jose were rivals in high school and in pretty much every sports team they joined. Once they were adults, she tried to stop the feud herself, but she was torn. Jude had cheated on her almost from the day they got together. Layla was...and always would be...his second choice. He didn't hide that fact from her. Still, she loved him with everything she had. Kari and Jude were high school sweethearts and he would have married her, but Jose came along and wooed her right out from under his nose."

"Wow," Natsu said under his breath.

Gray sighed pointedly, "Yeah wow. The poor guy. What kind of bastard would do that? Steal a girl right out from under his nose! That's just plain _shameful!_ "

Levy stomped on his foot, shooting him another warning glare. Gajeel pretended not to hear the jab, not completely understanding it anyway. He really had no idea why Gray was so hostile toward him.

"ANYWAY," Gray went on, "According to the timeline, Jose was already involved with illegal activities – namely drugs. Jude was still straight. They graduated high school and Jude went straight into business. For awhile, he stayed legit. Then about 4 or 5 years later, Kari came to him…a bloody, beaten mess. She told him that Porla did it. That's where the feud re-started. Jude was already dating Layla at the time, but was sleeping with Kari on the side while putting her up in a safe apartment."

"And Porla figured it out?" Natsu guessed.

Gray nodded, "He came for Kari. He schmoozed her and starting sleeping with her again. Somewhere along the line, he convinced her to help him gather information on Jude's business to ruin him."

He pointed on the timeline at the words, 'Heartfilia stock market crash.'

"Yes. Porla pulled the strings and Jude lost everything. Kari disappeared with Porla. Jude started dabbling in drug deals to rebuild his fortune. For a long time, he concentrated on rebuilding his empire. Layla knew he was involved in crime rings, but said nothing because at the time, he was finally being attentive to Layla since he wasn't seeing Kari. During those quiet years is when they got married."

"But Kari came back," Gajeel said.

Gray nodded, "Beaten and bloody again. This time it was Layla who answered the door, inviting her in even though Kari was the 'other woman'. She thought perhaps the years she'd spent building her marriage with Jude would make him realize she was better for him than Kari...but Jude would always have a weakness for her. Kari handed over a bunch of pictures incriminating Porla and begged Jude to help her put Jose in jail before he killed her. Jude couldn't say no to her. That's when shit really got twisted."

"It's pretty twisted already," Levy sighed.

"Jude's money flow was back where he wanted it, so he used his illegal connections to orchestrate a drug bust. Except Porla wasn't home when the bust went down. The police took everything Porla had, but didn't get Porla or some of his strongest men. Now Porla was bankrupt and madder than hell. Jude had money _and_ Kari _and_ Layla."

"I don't understand why Layla would put up with that," Levy shook her head.

"Whether Jude was bad and vengeful or not, she loved him," Natsu said.

"Maybe," Levy said slowly, "Or maybe she was being forced to put with it."

"There's still more in the bars," Gajeel said, "Maybe we'll be able to shed more light on that."

Levy motioned for Gray to continue.

"Porla retaliated with a house invasion, killing all of the household staff. It just so happened that Jude and Kari were having a weekend away and Layla was staying at a friend's. She would have died that night for sure if she'd been home," Gray took a deep breath, "It was around that time that Kari figured out she was pregnant. She had no idea whose child it was. Shortly after, she wrote that first letter...just after the DNA test came back. Jose went underground to hide from authorities."

"And that was when my mentor moved to the house. She took over as head housekeeper. A few years later, I'd come to pose as her daughter," Levy asked incredulously.

Natsu was squirming. He had so many questions, but they hadn't gotten to the most important part yet…Lucy.

"We're almost done hearing the story," Gray promised, "Give me 5 more minutes."

Natsu nodded, trying to stay still.

"So a few years passed. After killing Jude's household staff, things were quiet again for a small time. Jude knew that Jose was trying to lay low so he could rebuild his money flow. Both Layla and Kari had babies. Kari had a baby boy several months before Layla had her little girl. Kari gave up her little boy when she went on one of her disappearing acts, ending up with Jose again. Layla didn't give details on how or why Kari betrayed Jude again... just that Kari ended up back there _without her son_. Jose needed to provide the lavish life for Kari and finally, he decided to do something drastic to get back on top…he pulled a bank heist and stole the loads of gold bars."

Everyone was starting to put the pieces together in their own heads.

Gray sipped some water from a water bottle, "A couple months later, Kari's body was found on the side of the road. She had been beaten to death. Jude lost it. He swore he was going to take Jose down once and for all. So he orchestrated the biggest drug bust in Fiore history AND managed to steal Jose's gold bars. He knew where they were kept based on Kari's earlier evidence that she brought to Jude. Men died that day too. While he was doing that, Layla was freaking out. Jose was charged with murder and drug offenses for the raid that went horribly wrong. People died. A teenager who was a drug runner, a couple of Jose's lackies, and a police officer. Jose was charged and sent to prison."

Levy noted Gajeel starting at his feet as Gray explained about the drug bust. She felt a stirring in her body...was Gajeel connected to that incident?

"Layla knew she was sick, and she suspected she knew why. She wrote in his letter that she was pretty sure Kari was poisoning her. She began to panic about Lucy and what would become of her. Especially since the police were now sniffing around Jude."

Levy glanced between Gajeel and Gray, thankful the tension was taking a back seat for a moment, but still lost in Gajeel's forlorn expression. She was _sure_ he knew more about that. But he didn't open his mouth to admit it.

"So Layla pulled her own operation. She stole the gold bars from Jude. Knowing that he would retaliate, she hid the loads somewhere, keeping one box worth out. She had the fake gold bars fabricated and placed the evidence inside each individual bar. Then she arranged for everything to come here. With no evidence, Jude couldn't be taken away from Lucy. Plus, she secured a safety net if Jose ever managed to get out of jail to come after Jude again."

"Wouldn't the poison wear off if she stopped getting regular doses of it?" Levy asked.

"Yeah…it doesn't explain why Layla died," Natsu agreed.

Gajeel shook his head, "There's more to that story, I'm sure of it. But I'm not even sure we could get to the bottom of that if we tried. Records surround Layla's death are sealed. I tried looking."

"Go on, Gray," Levy urged.

"In the meantime, Gray continued, "Layla was nervous. She knew Jude suspected she had something to do with the stolen bars that Jose confronted Jude about. That's where the timeline ends. What we _do_ know is that every last piece of evidence given on this timeline is contained in those gold bars. They all need to be opened. We know somehow Dan, Porla's son, came back into Jude's life. But we don't know how or why. We also don't know how Samuel fits into this. "

Natsu put his hand up again. All three of them stared at him waiting for him to speak.

"Natsu?" Levy asked finally.

"He wants the Heartfilia inheritance," Natsu said immediately, "Lucy told me once that no one has laid claim to it. Can I tell you my theory?"

Everyone nodded slowly.

"Somehow, Samuel figured out that Dan was either Jose or Jude's son. If Dan was Jude's son, he'd have a stake in the inheritance. So Samuel helped Dan get onto Jude's radar as a suitable husband for Lucy."

Natsu sat back, a proud grin on his face.

The others exchanged glances.

"That actually…makes sense," Gajeel said slowly.

"But Dan wasn't counting on falling in love with her," Natsu continued with a scowl on his face, "And I can't explain the obsessive personality. That's all I've got so far."

"Well done, Natsu," Levy praised.

"Wow," Gajeel said, staring into oblivion as he contemplated the entire story, "That's one intense history."

Everyone nodded, all lost in their thoughts.

"So why did you think there could still be Heartfilia activity?" Levy asked Gajeel after a few minutes, "You sent Juvia looking for activity around Crocus."

Gajeel shrugged, "It was a hunch. His mansion hasn't been touched. His millions still sit in a bank. Since Jude's death, there's been the odd transaction. Little ones. $1000 here, $5000 there. In the last year and a half, it's become regular. It didn't make sense to me…but now that Natsu pointed out the Heartfilia fortune hasn't been passed on, it makes me even more suspicious. Where is the money going?"

They all went quiet again.

"Let's go get ready for dinner," Natsu said, "The girls will be back soon and I want _buffet."_

He bounced out of his seat and headed out the door.

"He lasted a lot longer than I thought he would," Levy sighed, "I'll go make sure he gets in his room. The hotel staff are still aggravated at him from the last time he got locked out. I keep a spare key card now."

Levy followed him out, leaving Gray and Gajeel in the room.

Gray stood at the door, his back to the room as he addressed Gajeel before leaving. He didn't want to make eye contact. He knew Levy would be angry if they ended up in a fist fight. Looking at the cocky bastard's face might snap Gray's resolve. He just needed to know a few _things._

"I met Jellal today," he said, "Is he legit?"

Gajeel grunted affirmatively, "Yup."

"There's something very familiar about him. I haven't put my finger on it yet," Gray said.

"I'm sure it'll come to you."

"Does that mean you know why he's familiar to me?" Gray asked.

Gajeel nodded, even though he knew Gray was facing away from him.

"Gajeel, have you got our backs? Are you seriously going to help us if something bad happens?"

Gajeel grunted again, "Yup."

Gray paused for a long moment, mulling over the larger man's words, such as they were. Gajeel said a lot by saying only a few words at a time.

"Then I've got yours too. Don't tell Juvia I'm on this mission please. It's better if she believes I'm completely dead. She's finally moving on."

"Good to know we can agree on something," Gajeel said.

"And Gajeel..." he took a deep breath, trying to keep the venom out of his voice, "You had better be _REALLY GOOD_ to Levy. Or I will hunt you down and tear you limb from limb."

Gajeel chuckled, "I'm not going to hurt her. I promise. If I ever hurt her, I'll _let_ you kick my ass."

"I didn't say I'd kick your ass," Gray said in a low voice, "I said I'd tear you limb from limb. With my bare hands. And I'll feed what's left of your body to the sharks at the aquarium that Natsu loves so much. Got it? That's all I'll say...for now."

Gray looked over his shoulder, smiling slightly at the larger man. Gajeel nodded to him, a smirk on his face, as Gray went out the door.

Levy was waiting for him out in the hallway, having seen Natsu safely to his door.

"Gray," Levy said softly as he turned to follow Natsu to his room, "About me and Gajeel…"

"It's okay," Gray said quickly, "I see what's going on there. You like him. I won't interfere. And I kind of gained a little more respect for him through today's revelations. I think I managed to get rid of my frustration over it."

She smiled, "I really do like you, you know."

He smiled back, "But you don't _love_ me. It's okay to like me in a best-friend-sort-of-way. I can live with that, Lev. I just want you to be happy."

"I _do_ love you though, Gray...would you consider 'big brother'?"

He smiled, kissing her forehead, "Ya. That's cool."

"Happy Birthday, Big Brother," she whispered.

He cocked his head, "How did you know?"

She didn't answer. She didn't have to. He'd seen the blank look on Juvia's face several time that day. In a way, it felt good to be remembered. But it also pained him to see her still wallowing, even after he set her free.

Levy and Gray shared a hug that lasted for a good few minutes, then separated, retreating to their rooms. No more words were necessary.

Gajeel shut the door, still smirking to himself. Juvia might be right...he kind of liked Gray, or at least thought he could _tolerate_ him. A new respect for the smaller man replaced the nasty first impressions. He supposed it was the right thing to do to give him a chance. After all, that was a Doover Angel's speciality.

He face-palmed himself.

 _Mulligan._

* * *

 ** _We're not done with the reveals._**

 ** _Thank you to all the readers and commenters._**


	40. Chapter 40

Gray salivated as he surveyed the spread at the buffet. It looked soooo good. While it was true that Angels did not _have_ to eat, he had sure enjoyed having normal food over the past several months. He really wished he could sit down with the rest of the table and enjoy a heaping plate too.

But…he was stuck in the shadows since it would be a mistake to let Juvia catch sight of him.

He felt better about a lot of things after the Angels meeting today. He felt like he and Gajeel had come to an understanding. They still didn't know each other well, but Gray's respect level for Gajeel shot up between the way he promised to help deal with the gold bars and the way he promised to look after Levy.

As for Levy, Gray felt an honest-to-goodness peace about not being with her. He realized that she didn't hold any feelings for him other than exactly what she'd told him – he's like a big brother. Maybe that's what was holding her back when he was flirting with her. He'd never been completely sure how he felt about her either. He knew he liked her. He knew he could love her, given the chance. She was really pretty and she didn't take crud from anyone. Levy had really been there for him through multiple situations. He knew Gajeel's feelings toward her were different than his. He hoped Gajeel could love Levy in a way Gray never could.

Gray glanced at Juvia, laughing with their friends at the table. She was so beautiful. He loved her laugh. He loved her sense of humour. She was busy telling Gajeel stories again. Gajeel was protesting loudly as Levy hung on every detail. Memories flitted though his brain of happier times when they were together. She used to laugh like that for _him._ He would give anything to have a conversation with her...not whispering through her dreams, but a real conversation...where they could talk together. There were too many things left unsaid. As much as Gray was trying to be okay with letting her go, his old feelings refused to stay buried. Yes, he had let her go...but it hurt like hell. Watching her now, he wished he could laugh with her. Maybe refuse to obey Heaven's rules like Natsu was…would it get him anywhere?

He knew it wouldn't. Letting go of Juvia was the right thing to do.

"Heaven hates me," he muttered under his breath.

He glanced at Lucy and Natsu. They were now aware that everyone knew about them and Natsu held Lucy's hand openly on top of the table tonight instead of the underneath like they usually did. He admired Natsu that way. He was ridiculously innocent and seriously had no clue about most things, but his purity of heart allowed him to know without a doubt how he felt about some things – like his love for Lucy. And now that he knew everyone knew about it, he didn't care whether they approved...he loved her and she was going to show her however he could.

Gray's mind wandered to thoughts of Erza. He wondered how she was doing in her task to steer Dan and Samuel away from their neighbourhood.

Gray was acutely aware of the fact that every thought he had had that day was _serious._ He seriously needed to blow off some steam. He changed into _transparency_ and sat beside Lucy and Natsu, helping himself to noodles when no one was looking. He poked the odd noodle inside Natsu's water glass and flung a meatball at Gajeel just for the hay of it. No need for him to miss out on the fun entirely. Hell, he'd just create his _own_ fun!

Gajeel looked up from his conversation with Levy and Juvia.

"Did you just fling a meatball at me?" he asked Natsu.

"What?" Natsu looked around, confused, "I didn't! I've been talking to Luce!"

Gajeel smirked, grabbing his fork and loading it with a rice ball, "Gonna hafta call bullshit on that, Flame-for-Brains."

"WHAT THE HELL?" Lucy squealed as Gajeel's rice ball smacked her on top of the head.

"LUCY!" Natsu stood up, brushing the rice from her hair, "I'LL DEFEND YOU!"

He turned to Gajeel with a severe death glare in his eyes and reached for a handful of his chow mein.

Juvia was grinning mischievously as she stood back from the table, well out of the way, as Gajeel confiscated her meatballs. Levy tried to dodge, but failed as Natsu chucked egg rolls at both of them, keeling over in uproarious laughter.

Gray stifled a laugh as he headed back into the shadows. It was absolute chaos now. Natsu and Gajeel flung food back and forth, saturating the girls in copious amounts of Chinese Buffet. He had to admit – creating his own fun was _excruciatingly_ satisfying.

* * *

Erza was sending a clear message to Dan and Samuel in their hotel room. They'd have to go back there sometime. She tore their clothes apart with scissors, making a huge mess, then borrowed some lady's lipstick from another suite and wrote on the mirror above the dresser, ' _I SAW WHAT YOU DID. I'M COMING FOR YOU!_ ' Going into the bathroom, she turned on the hot water in the shower and waited for the steam to fog the mirror. She wrote ' _LEAVE MAGNOLIA'_ on the mirror.

She paused at Dan's precious picture of Lucy on the dresser mirror. She took the picture down, replacing it instead with the picture Levy had given her of Dan. Crossing his face off in the red lipstick, she thought between that and the message on the mirrors, it might shake them up a bit.

* * *

Sting and Rogue were out on the highway, checking out a tip from a person who'd called in about seeing the red Camry. The call had been anonymous, but it had been very detailed, describing the scene of the alleged crime. They apparently had watched the red Camry get sent over the edge, then saw the gold car stop and what happened afterward. Murder.

"There's nothing here!" Sting cried out in frustration, "They're leading us on a wild goose chase!"

Rogue was walking toward the cliff, "Sting, there's tracks here. They lead off the cliff."

They both peered over the edge.

"I'm not going down there to find out," Sting said, "It's a loooong way down."

"But I bet that's where our Camry is," Rogue said.

Sting grunted his agreement.

They started to walk back to Sting's car, both lost in their own thoughts.

"There are a lot of gold cars out there," Sting said quietly, "Maybe they moved on."

"Sting!" Rogue said suddenly, stopping in his tracks, "We might have to go down there after all."

Sting looked at the ground where Rogue was staring. It was a blood trail. It led to the cliff.

"Call it in," Sting said, "Tell them we need climbing gear ASAP."

Sting followed the trail back to the edge of the cliff and looked over, remembering the things they'd just learned about Samuel's violent capabilities.

"What have you done?" he whispered.

* * *

"Hmmmm," Lucy leaned back against a rocky chair in the hot springs, completely immersing herself in the water, "Oh, this is so nice!"

The rest of the group came out of the change rooms one by one, joining her.

"Gajeel, this has been so fun. I'm so glad we have another day yet," Lucy sighed happily.

"Quick trip," Gajeel said, "Three nights isn't a long time, but I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Speak for yourselves!" Juvia sighed, sinking in up to her neck, "I have to go home tomorrow. I have a business to run. I can't really play hooky for more than 2 days. Maybe _you_ can be boss, Lucy, and I'll just stay here…forever."

Lucy snickered.

Gray entered the pool too. Sometimes _transparency_ was so awesome. He could still enjoy things and no one would know he was there. Plus, no one could tell that he hadn't bothered with a swim suit. He could be as naked as he wanted to be! He sat a good distance away from everyone…just in case someone made a sudden move and bumped into him.

Natsu was enjoying the heat too. He moved behind Lucy, pulling her into his chest.

"They all know anyway," he whispered in her ear. That didn't stop the others from having surprised faces. They all exchanged glances, but said nothing.

"Next time, we need to come for a week," Gajeel decided. He reached under the water with his hand and played with Levy's fingers. She smiled slightly, sliding a foot down his leg.

Everyone nodded in agreement. A week at this hotel? Definitely!

Lucy sat on the edge of the pool. Natsu groaned at the loss of her body against his.

"It's a bit too hot for me now," she announced, "I'm going to go have a shower and get ready to go out for Girl's Night. I'll see you in the morning, Natsu. Meet you back at the room, Lev."

Levy nodded.

"Wait - Girl's Night? What's Girl's Night?" Natsu asked.

Gajeel shot Juvia a look.

"I'll come with you, Lucy. I'm done now too," Juvia stretched and exited the water.

"I wanna know what Girl's Night is!" Natsu repeated.

"You can be solid now, Gray," Levy called once Lucy and Juvia were gone.

"Kinda can't!" Gray said out loud since they were the only ones in the pool anyway, "I didn't bring any swim trunks."

Everyone groaned their disgust, moving out of the water immediately.

"Seriously?" Gray quipped, "As if I'm the only one who's ever been in this pool naked!"

"Girl's Night means only girls are going out tonight," Levy told Natsu, "Juvia has to leave tomorrow and she's kinda depressed about it, so we're going to go have some fun."

Natsu's face fell, "Without us?"

Gajeel snickered, "Trust me. We're not missing much. They're just gonna have a couple drinks and talk about us. Lucy's gonna go on and on about you and Levy's gonna talk about me."

Levy put her hands on her hips, "Well, _someone's_ full of himself!"

"Who's Juvia going to talk about?" Natsu asked.

Nobody answered him, but they all heard Gray mutter under his breath.

"Sorry Gray!" Natsu hung his head.

"We should get changed too," Gajeel said, "Then meet up so we can talk about what will happen tomorrow."

"Yeah - what are we going to do about going home?" Natsu asked, "I think it would be a good idea for Gray to check in with Erza and let us know what we're bringing Lucy and Levy back to. It would be a mistake to go straight home without checking it out first."

Gajeel and Levy exchanged glances. The things coming out of Natsu's mouth were getting more intelligent all the time! Well, at least _sometimes._

"I'll go home with Juvia," Gray decided, "That way I can talk to Erza and let you all know what's happening before Levy and Lucy walk into anything."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I'm meeting up with the Mulligan Angels tomorrow morning," Gajeel reported, "We're going to get the bricks. I was thinking maybe Levy and I should rent a car and drive the bars to Magnolia, since I have no inclination to explain them at the airport."

Levy nodded, "Sounds good to me."

"Okay, so me and Juvia will be taking the plane back..." Gray said awkwardly.

"...Tomorrow afternoon," Levy finished for him, "That would be good anyway. We don't want Juvia going home unescorted."

Gray sighed. Levy heard it, but tried not to react. That was a source of major contention for Gray. Alone with Juvia. Even though she wouldn't be able to see him or even know he was there, he was tired of being in emotional turmoil all the time.

Gajeel wrapped his towel around his waist as he headed for the change room. He turned to Natsu, "You might have to tell her Dan is back. By the time you get back to Magnolia, we should have a pretty good idea of what's going on. We'll meet you at the airport, but Lucy should have some idea of what she could be coming home to."

Natsu's expression soured, "I don't want to do that."

"Maybe it won't be necessary," Gray said, "We'll just have to see what tomorrow brings."

* * *

"I feel so good after that soak," Lucy sighed, "This has been a really good couple days."

"For sure," Levy agreed.

"What's happening between you and Gajeel?" Lucy asked softly.

"I don't know," Levy replied, "I like him."

"I thought you liked Gray," Lucy turned around, facing Levy's bed, "That was what was happening last week anyway. But you and Gajeel don't really seem to flirt."

Levy chuckled, "Trust me...there's flirting. Before we left Magnolia, Gajeel kissed me. Gray and I are going to stay friends. He's more like a big brother anyway. He sees the connection between Gajeel and I and told me that it's okay."

"You're a lot cooler about it than I would be," Lucy laughed, "Not that two men would ever fight over me."

"Natsu would fight for you though, Lucy," Levy said thoughtfully, "He really loves you."

"I really love him," Lucy sighed, "I don't want two men fighting over me anyway. I just want Natsu."

Levy turned so that Lucy wouldn't see her expression. She was all too aware of how soon two men could be fighting over Lucy. She fought back a panic attack. She didn't want to go back to Magnolia, knowing _they_ were there.

There was a knock at the door. Levy opened it and Juvia came in wearing tight blue jeans and a blue shirt that shined with sequins.

"Are you sure you want to go out tonight?" she asked the girls.

"Hell ya!" Lucy grinned, "Because day after tomorrow, we're back to the grind."

"Are you ready?" Levy asked Lucy, grabbing her purse. She pushed any remaining thoughts down and forced herself to grin.

"Let's go," Lucy agreed, following Juvia out the door.

* * *

Cana was waiting tables at 8-Island with a forced, plastered grin on her face. She was really uneasy. It was like she knew something was about to happen. It was almost closing time – 11:00 pm. Just another ½ hour and they could shut the doors for another day.

"Maybe you should go in the back. Let Mest get a break from cooking…" Loke suggested in a low voice as they passed each other.

Cana shook her head, "This is still my job. I can't hide in the back forever."

"Juvia will be back tomorrow," Lisanna whispered, joining their little group, "She knows better than to question your cards. She'll take it seriously. We'll ask her what to do."

Virgo leaned her head into the group too, "I agree with Loke…something's not right. I can feel it in the air."

Kinana glanced toward the door, "Most of the customers are done eating. Maybe we can just lock the doors when the last one leaves whether it's 11:00 or not."

The four nodded to each other, then dispersed back to their jobs.

The door opened with jingling of the bell and two men in hats walked in. Cana's heart started pounding. She couldn't see their faces, but something told her the two men were dangerous. Loke had noticed the strangers too - and the look on Cana's face. He had been watching her all day. She hadn't been acting like herself.

Virgo took the table even though it was in Cana's section. Cana headed to behind the bar, stooping to take a much-needed drink out of her flask.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Here are your menus. Would you like me to get you some drinks?"

The man looked up at her pink locks, but refused to meet her gaze, "Waters, please."

"I'll be right back!" Virgo promised.

She took the waters from Lisanna, returning to the table promptly and set them down.

"I'll give you a few more minutes with the menus," she said, turning to head back to the counter.

The red-headed man grabbed her wrist, "Miss, do you know this girl?"

He was holding out his picture.

Virgo shook her head, "No, I'm sorry. I don't know her. Please let go of my wrist."

He didn't. The man made eye contact with her now. Chills swept through Virgo's body. She fought to keep a straight face.

"Someone told me she might work here," the man urged, "Are you sure you've never seen her?"

Virgo shook her head again, trying to back away, "No. I don't know her."

"That _is_ unfortunate," the other man said.

"So very unfortunate," the red-headed man agreed.

He locked eyes with Virgo again, then released her wrist.

Virgo backed up slowly until she was out of reach, then spun on her heel and went back to the counter.

"You okay, Virgo?" Loke asked, "Want me to take over the table?"

"I'm okay," Virgo confirmed, "But the look in his eyes."

"Cana, you really should go to the back. If he recognizes you..." Kinana said, gesturing to the kitchen door.

It was too late. The red-headed man had seen Cana and was crossing the room.

"You're the girl with the dog," he said, "Didn't you say his name is Plue?"

Cana felt the colour drain from her face. She hadn't told him the dog's name at all, "His name is Rover."

"Oh," the man said, "Is that a fact? Do you know this girl?"

The man showed her the picture again, then to Kinana, Lisanna and Loke who were all at the counter. The other three managed to remain expressionless.

"I told you before...I haven't seen her before!" Cana was backing up against the door to the back, "Please go back to your table. Your waitress will be coming for your order."

Beside her, Virgo held up her order pad, "I'll come now. Let's -"

"When a person lies," the red-headed man said, casually taking a maraschino cherry from the container on the counter, "Sometimes their eyes get shifty. And their face changes colour. Interesting that you all have the same reaction."

He grabbed a bottle of wine that was on the counter and used it to smash the glasses that were neatly laid out on the counter. Lisanna screamed, covering her head as shards of glass splintered everywhere. The others jumped backward, shock on their faces.

The other man had stood up from the table.

Cana's eyes were wide with fear. Lisanna froze in her spot. Kinana put her tray down on the counter as the man grinned ear-to-ear. He held the broken wine bottle up to Cana's throat, grabbing her by the hair so the jagged edge grazed her skin.

Loke and Mest were watching as well, Loke stopping in the middle of cleaning a table, and Mest stepping out from the kitchen. Nobody dared to move.

"We're not hungry anymore," the red-headed stranger said, "But we'll be back when we think you might be able to feed us...or better yet, have Lucy serve us. It would be in your best interest to serve up something good...because you won't like what happens if we're disappointed."

He smashed the remainder of the wine bottle to the floor, released Cana, then turned and stomped out the door, the other man following behind.

Cana collapsed to her knees, big heaving breaths racking her body. Loke hopped a table to lock the door.

"Are you okay?" Kinana ran to Cana.

"That was so scary!" Lisanna had the phone in her hand and was already dialing 911.

Loke addressed the frightened customers, explaining that due to unforeseen circumstances, they were now closed for the night. The customers got up and left immediately, paying for their meals. Loke opened the door long enough to let them out of the restaurant, then locked it tight again. Cana couldn't get herself together. Mest made sure the back doors were locked.

They sat together at the table and waited for the police to arrive in absolute silence.


	41. Chapter 41

Erza realized early in the morning when Dan and Samuel still hadn't returned to the suite that something was very wrong. She fell asleep on the bed, despite how disgusted she was by the room's state from the men who should be occupying it. She had been exhausted.

She got out of bed, deciding to go home for a shower. There was no way she was showering at that motel room.

She arrived at the apartments, petting Happy as he mewed excitedly, rubbing against her feet.

"What's the matter, little guy?" she cooed, "Oh! Your dish is empty! Didn't Cana come today?"

Happy was mewing as she picked him up, leaning in for a good pet as she got fresh food for him from the kitchen.

"Oh my goodness, Happy! You're attention-deprived! I'll get my shower and then I'll pet you. I promise."

She set Happy down on the coffee table with fresh food, almost laughing as he attacked it. But then she frowned. She knew Cana had been coming by the last two days. Normally, she'd have been there by now. Why hadn't she come? The cat litter reeked, so Erza took a moment to change it. How such a little kitten could stink so bad was beyond her.

She flitted through the shadows to the other apartment since she didn't have a key. Immediately, Plue barked as she solidified, jumping on her excitedly. She pet him for a few minutes, before checking his dish. It was completely empty, as was his water bowl…and there were at least 2 messes in the hallway.

"Cana didn't come for you either, did she?" Erza said, her frown deepening, "C'mon, Plue. I'll take you outside and then clean up your other messes."

Grabbing his leash, she supposed the only way to do this was to leave Lucy and Levy's apartment unlocked as she took Plue outside. She would re-lock and flit back to her own apartment after he was feeling better. She cleaned up quickly, trying not to gag as she flushed the evidence of Cana's negligence down the toilet.

Once Plue was properly looked after, Erza went for her shower, but something was bugging her. Why hadn't Cana come by?

She decided if she couldn't locate Samuel and Dan, then she'd go check out 8-Island to make sure Cana was okay. Afterward, she'd try the hotel again to see if her 'targets' had come back.

* * *

The police combed the side of the mountain, confiscating evidence of two cars that had been pushed over the edge of the cliff. It was not an easy recovery job. The cliff was straight down about 2000 feet and the ocean swallowed the majority of any evidence they could find. Still, they were able to identify bits and pieces of the red Camry that had been the getaway vehicle for Samuel after they attacked Rogue and Sting. There was a second vehicle too…something gold.

"They keep changing vehicles," Rogue said under his breath, "And we still can't explain the blood on the trail to the side of the cliff."

"Forensics is taking samples," Sting assured him, "Now that the trail has been uncovered, there's actually a lot of blood. Someone took a lot of time to clean up the evidence."

"Our tipster was right. But why would he stand there and watch?" Rogue asked.

Sting nodded, "Something isn't right, that's for sure. And where in the hell are these men now? Samuel is working hard to accomplish something. The sooner we find this 'Levy', the better."

"And what about Laki?" Rogue asked, "She spent the night at my apartment last night because she was too afraid to go home. She doesn't have any friends or family since she's new in town, so she's still there."

Sting glanced at him, "Is she? _That's_ interesting!"

Rogue rolled his eyes, "Shut up, Sting."

"We could send her to a safe house out of town," Sting said.

Rogue nodded, "I'll ask her if she wants me to take her to Onibus later on."

Sting's cell rang, "Sting!" he answered, "Talk to me!"

His eyes got wide as he listened to whomever was on the other end. When the call was finished, he grabbed Rogue's elbow and steered him to the truck.

"We'll have to come back to this. We have more problems. Apparently 8-Island's staff was threatened last night. Macao and Wakaba have been their all night taking statements from the staff and any customers that came forward."

"Really," Rogue said slowly, "Sounds eerily similar to what happened at the library. Wanna bet that's our boy? Jet! Droy!"

Constables Jet Gear and Droy Shadow stepped forward, bags of evidence from the vehicles below in their hands.

"We've gotta go to the station. You got this?" Sting asked.

"We got this," Jet promised, "We'll let you know if we find anything else."

Sting and Rogue didn't need to hear anymore. They got in Rogue's truck and headed toward the station.

* * *

Levy woke up slowly in the morning, stretching and rolling over…into someone's arms. She jumped, trying to identify who was in bed with her, then let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was Gajeel.

 _Wait – Gajeel?!_

"Relax, Shrimp," Gajeel grinned at her suddenly wide open eyes, "Nothing happened. You got back to the hotel kinda late and knocked on my door. I thought it might be better for you to sleep here than to go knocking on other doors."

She let her breath go, sighing as she hunkered back down under the covers away from him. Gajeel snaked an arm around her, pulling her to his chest. He was warm. And his chest was broad and hardened from years of police work. She was instantly comfortable, despite her embarrassment.

"Got a hangover?" Gajeel asked, stroking her arms lightly.

"No, I really don't think I drank very much," Levy said, "We were all careful not to. We just talked, really."

"So did you talk about me then?"

She pouted, "Girl's Night is sacred. We don't discuss what happens."

He chuckled. Levy noted the 'Gihehe' sound to it, just like Juvia said.

"Well, we had a Boys' Night," Gajeel informed her, "Natsu insisted."

"Oh?" Levy asked.

Gajeel nodded, "I'd tell you what we did, but…."

Levy rolled her eyes, "Seriously?"

"Yup. Men's Night is Sacred," he let out another Gihehe, just for her benefit, then sighed, "We gotta get up…we're meeting Crime Sorciere in an hour."

She sighed heavily. She was quite content to stay where she was. His muscled arms were incredible. She knew he was fit, but actually getting to touch him now...wow.

"Lev," he said softly, "You are absolutely not drunk, right?"

She chuckled lifting her head to look at him, "I don't know if I was ever drunk."

"You were tipsy at least," Gajeel said, "but you're not now, right?"

She shook her head.

"Can I..." his voice trailed off.

She looked up at him, their eyes locking.

"I'd like to kiss you," he said so quietly she almost didn't hear.

He didn't move. She wondered if he was waiting for her permission.

She shifted her weight so that she hovered above him and lowered her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her back, flipping them so that he was on top, deepening the kiss so much that Levy stopped breathing. Or at least that's what she blamed it on.

All too soon, he broke the kiss and got out of bed, crossing the room to the bathroom, pausing at the door, "Go get changed, Shrimp. You want to make a good impression to my boss, right?"

He didn't wait for an answer, closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Then we played a game called Poker. Have you played Poker, Luce? It took me a few rounds to totally get it, but then I got really good at it. I didn't win though. Gray took most of my money and all of Gajeel's. It's a good thing I don't spend money often. I had lots to lose. Maybe that was Gray's problem. He didn't seem to have barely ANY money to start with."

Natsu was sitting on Lucy's bed, yakking her ear off. She groaned, rolling over onto her stomach.

"Are you okay?" he asked, stroking her hair gently.

"I'm glad you had fun," she said into her pillow, "I did too…and I don't think I have a hangover…but I'm definitely still tired."

"We don't have to be anywhere today," Natsu said, kicking off his shoes and lying down beside her, "We can sleep if you want to."

She flipped out the quilt so that he would be under it too. He hugged her close to him, his chest to her back. He nibbled at her neck.

"I missed you last night," he whispered into her ear.

She smiled, pulling his arm overtop of her, "I missed you too. Can we sleep just a little longer?"

He nodded, cuddling as to close to her as he could. She sighed happily and fell back to sleep.

* * *

Juvia woke up alone, as she knew she would. Last night's Girl's Night had been fun, but it also hurt. Lucy and Levy were both so happy with their new boyfriends. Most of the conversation revolved around what would happen next between Natsu and Lucy and how close they were getting to actually sleeping together. Levy blushed, saying she and Gajeel were nowhere near ready. Juvia admitted she was glad that she broke up with Lyon, but felt lonely at times. It would be a long while before she was ready to date again. The girls were sympathetic and supportive. It was really very nice to have _girlfriends_ to talk to. Juvia hung out with her staff sometimes, but she wasn't sure she could call them _friends,_ even thought it was often a topic of conversation on how the staff were more like family. She always thought the staff regarded her as 'the boss' and minded their P's and Q's around her. It was nice to have people that treated her as one of them. She really felt that the entire weekend she had been…accepted.

She had no regrets dumping Lyon. He had pretty much been after her since after Gray's funeral. For years, she had pushed him off, unable to even look at him. But eventually, she began to wonder if Lyon could be like his brother…if he could fill the void Gray left in her heart. She gave him a chance. She knew within the first 3 days that it had been a mistake. His brother did not lessen the pain. And Lyon was nothing like Gray.

"I miss you," she said to the empty room, "I tried with Lyon. He's not you. I'm not sure there's anyone out there who can take your place."

Gray was in the _shadows_ , really wishing he hadn't come to check on her. He didn't want to hear those words. He knew letting her go was the right thing to do. And he was trying _so hard_ to be okay with letting her go. But she looked so forlorn. She was so alone.

Pain etched through her face as a couple tears threatened to fall.

"Happy Birthday, Gray. I know it was yesterday. I would give anything to just talk to you one more time."

Gray choked his own tears back.

 _I released you, Juvia…you're not supposed to think about me anymore!_

Juvia wiped her tears away and finished packing her suitcase. She came across her cell phone in the bottom of the suitcase and picked it up, dialing to her mailbox to get her messages.

Gray's eyes furrowed as he watched her expression change from painful to anguish…fearful anguish. Something was seriously alarming her. She grabbed her suitcase, leaving the room immediately while calling for a taxi.

Levy came out into the hallway, "Morning Juvia!"

Juvia didn't stop to say 'hi'. She ran out the door and got into a taxi that had been hailed for another person, not even stopping to say sorry as the people were supposed to be getting in that taxi starting shouting at her. She was on the phone again, but Gray couldn't tell what she was saying or who she was talking to.

Levy watched the cab pull away from the curb.

"What just happened?" she asked, knowing Gray was there. He turned solid so she could see him.

"I don't know. But I need to get to the airport as soon as possible to find out."

"Go," Levy told him, "I'll tell the others why you left. You'll have to meet Crime Sorciere another day."

He flitted into the _shadows_ and followed the cab to the airport.

20 minutes later, he sat in the _shadows_ , watching Juvia as she took her seat on the airplane, a worried expression plaguing her face. She had been able to secure an emergency seat so she could take the earlier flight home, but by the time Gray got to the airport, he'd already missed her explanation to airport personnel.

* * *

The windows of 8-Island were blocked out with large sheets of paper. A sign was on the front door that read 'CLOSED FOR THE DAY'.

Erza was irritated, "What in the hell is going on here?"

She flitted through the restaurant in _shadows_ , looking for evidence of why the place would be deserted. She spotted the remnants of the broken glass and the wine bottle.

"What on Earthland..." she whispered to herself. An ominous feeling spread through her.

She decided it was time to go back to the hotel room. Maybe Dan and Samuel had returned.

* * *

Gajeel and Levy arrived at the café that Jellal had texted Gajeel about. There was an outside table and there were 4 people sitting there.

"Jellal," Gajeel said in greeting.

Jellal stood up, pulling Gajeel into a man-hug. Gajeel proceeded to hug the rest of the Division while Levy sat back and watched.

"Everyone," Gajeel stood back, bringing an arm around Levy to bring her forward. He didn't move his arm away once she had been properly presented, "This is Levy. She's a Guardian. Lucy's Guardian."

The others hummed their hellos.

"Levy, this is my cousin, Jellal. He's the leader of Crime Sorciere. The little girl beside him is Wendy, our Changeover Angel. Tall ugly guy with the maroon hair is Erik. Lady with the black hair is Minerva."

Levy nodded to them.

"How much do they know?" Levy asked Gajeel in a whisper.

"Everything. I told them everything because I needed them to help me shadow Juvia. They've also been out to Magnolia once or twice," Gajeel told her.

"I actually called the police with a tip a day ago," Erik reported, "That Dan and Sam that you're investigating…they killed an old lady for a car. I followed them after they had a run-in with some cops."

Levy gasped.

"Are they okay?" Gajeel asked, concerned about his 'other' colleagues, "The cops I mean."

"Yeah," Erik said, "Both have shiners, but they'll be okay."

"The police are all over that now," Jellal said, "Although they haven't found the bodies yet."

"Bodies?" Levy asked, "I thought you said they killed AN old lady."

"They decided the car was unworthy and went back for another car," Minerva said, "Two cars were put over a cliff. That's what Erik called in. They buried the old lady, but also killed a young couple for the car they're driving now. They sent their bodies off the cliff with the old lady's car."

Levy felt like she'd been punched in the stomach.

"Have they always been this dangerous?" Gajeel asked Levy.

She nodded, unable to speak for fear that horrified tears would start falling.

"Okay…let's get to the task at hand," Jellal said, "Wendy, you spend some time at the front desk of the warehouse. Make the clerk agreeable to whatever we say. _Persuasion_ worked the first time, let's use it again. Gajeel, Levy and I will take dollies in and load everything up in one go. In and out. 15 minutes tops."

Wendy and Gajeel nodded.

"Erik and Minerva, go back to Magnolia and see if you can point out the bodies to the police. The more heat we put on these guys, the more desperate they're going to get," Jellal glanced at Gajeel, "You say that Gray guy is going back to Magnolia with Juvia?"

"They should already be on the plane," Gajeel said.

"Good," Jellal looked back at his notes – Levy was thoroughly impressed with Jellal and assumed the notes was his plan. A lot of effort went into it, she realized. The Crime Sorciere Division was very well organized, "So Gray will meet up with Erza and she will brief him. Then we'll know the other side of the story. Can we trust this Gray guy, Gajeel?"

Gajeel paused, glancing at Levy, "Yeah. He's cool."

Jellal nodded.

"Are you going to come to Magnolia with us?" Levy asked.

Jellal smiled at her, "Crime Sorciere will be right behind you. We've got a truck rented for you and Gajeel to drive back with the gold bars. Once you get into town, they'll be stashed at Gajeel's place. By then, we should have a more valid location of Dan and Sam. We'll have to have another Angel's meeting at that point, preferably away from Magnolia, to decide how to bring them down before they can do any more damage. Erik - what are Sam and Dan driving now?"

"Black Dodge Dart," Erik replied.

"Good. Let's make sure when you get back to Magnolia that you meet up with Erza and Gray at some point and let them know what we know."

"I can't meet with Erza," Minerva interrupted, "You know that I'm already nervous about being in Magnolia as it is."

Jellal nodded, "Understood. You'll be excused."

"See you in Magnolia," Erik grunted. He and Minerva took off around the corner.

"Did you tell Natsu his part in the plan?" Jellal asked.

Gajeel looked off to the left, "Kinda. I told him it could be a possibility."

"He needs to know it has to be done," Jellal said, "Lucy needs to know that Dan is in Magnolia. She can't be blind-sided if things go sideways."

Gajeel nodded, "I'll tell him tonight."

"Lucy will freak out!" Levy protested, "She'll run – she'll leave everything we have in Magnolia and refuse to go back."

"She can't run forever," Jellal put a hand on her shoulder, "You aren't alone this time. You have a lot of back up. Natsu will be coached in comforting her by Gajeel. She'll go back to Magnolia and we'll all protect her."

Levy was shaking.

Gajeel pulled her into a tight hug, "Nothing bad will happen, Shrimp."

"You don't know Dan and Samuel," she whispered into his shoulder.

* * *

Dan and Samuel were back at the hotel room, opening the door after two long days with no sleep. Dan flicked on the lights, immediately sinking into his bed. He didn't care that he stank. He didn't care that he was dirty. He sank into the bed anyway.

"Shit," Samuel let a low whistle.

"What is it?" Dan asked. His arm covered his eyes and he wasn't about to get up.

"You need to look at this," Samuel said.

Dan groaned his protest as he got off the bed and lumbered over to the dresser where Samuel was staring.

 _I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. I'M COMING FOR YOU._

It was written in red lipstick. The same red lipstick crossed out Dan's face in the place where Lucy's picture should have been.

"Oh Mavis," Dan said under his breath, "WHERE IN THE HELL IS MY LUCY PICTURE?"

"Do you not see the bigger issue?" Samuel hissed, "Someone knows where we're staying here _and_ they know that we've done something! I think we'd better switch hotels and we'd better call _him_ too. We gotta let him know we need more money. We can't afford another hotel on our own."

Dan sighed. He was on his hands and knees, looking under furniture for his Lucy picture, "I hate calling _him."_

"I'll listen if you have a better idea," Samuel snapped.

"We need to clean this up," Dan said, "The hotel will call the cops if they find the message here. The hotel will give the cops our dummy names, but we don't need any more trouble. Anything odd and unusual will off the cops to our location."

Samuel nodded, "You get started on the mirror and I'll take a quick shower. Then we'll get the hell outta here."

Dan took a towel and started working on the mirror. Samuel disappeared into the bathroom, turning the shower on. It was a moment later when Dan heard the yell. Samuel had looked at the mirror in the bathroom.

Erza arrived in the _shadows_ in time for the yell. She smiled contentedly. Judging by the amount of swearing coming from the bathroom and the way that Dan was wiping vigorously at the mirror, her warnings had been received loud and clear.


	42. Chapter 42

Gajeel was packing his suitcase, realizing he had to meet Crime Sorciere in about 1/2 hour to remove the bricks from the warehouse. He and Levy would not be returning to the hotel. He came across his cell phone, looking at it quickly. He hadn't so much as gazed at it since arriving in Crocus. There were 21 new messages. Gajeel sighed, deciding to look at his messages later. He had to get Levy and her things and they needed to get moving. Jellal was good at a lot of things, but waiting was not one of them.

He crossed the hall to Levy's room. Levy opened the door for him. Lucy was out, grabbing a few things from the continental breakfast to bring back to the room. She left him in the open door and returned to her bed where she was fighting with her suitcase.

"You ready, Shrimp?"

"Almost," she said back. She put her suitcase on the bed, realized it was upside down, flipped it, then fumbled with the zipper.

He watched her for a moment, noting the slightly panicked look on her face.

"Are you worried about going back to Magnolia?" he asked, stepping into the room and closing the door. He grabbed her hand as she yanked at the zipper, holding her hand still.

She paused, trying not to show emotion on her face, but failing miserably, "I'm scared, Gajeel."

"Look at me, Shrimp," Gajeel tried to meet her eyes, but she was avoiding his gaze. There were tears pricking the corners of her eyes and she didn't want him to see, "Shrimp! Look at me."

He pulled her into a tight hug when she refused to meet his gaze, "I'm coming with you. I won't leave your side. I promise."

She buried her face into his shoulder, "Okay."

* * *

Natsu was beaming as he knocked on the door.

"We get to spend the entire day together with no obligations!" he announced in greeting when Lucy opened the door.

Lucy snickered, trying to ignore Levy's playful look. She had pulled herself together when Lucy came back to the room. Gajeel excused himself to finish his packing.

"I missed you," Natsu said.

"I missed you too," she said, "I'm just helping Levy pack. Levy and Gajeel are leaving today instead of tomorrow. I'll catch up to you after, okay?"

"Okay!" he promised, backing out of the room.

"You two are far too cute," Levy laughed.

"I'm looking forward to spending the day with him," Lucy admitted.

"Gajeel and Juvia both let their rooms go," Levy informed her, "I guess tonight it will be just the two of you. What are you going to do today?"

"Natsu wants to go see the live theater," Lucy said with a smile, "It's a good idea. I haven't seen a play in forever."

Levy zipped up her suitcase.

"I'll see you at home," Lucy hugged her, "Give Plue a hug for me."

Levy laughed, "Plue is going to be all over you when you get home! He's never been away from you for this long!"

Lucy shrugged, "Probably. You'll check on Happy for Natsu too, right?"

Levy nodded, "I promise."

"See you tomorrow," Lucy walked her to the hotel room door and waved as Gajeel appeared in the hallway, "See you soon, Gajeel - and thanks again for a great weekend!"

As Gajeel passed Natsu, he motioned for Levy to go ahead for a moment.

"Natsu, I'll be at the airport to pick you up tomorrow," he said.

"I know...that's the plan we've gone over a million times!"

Gajeel paused, "There's something else."

Natsu looked up.

"Jellal thinks you have to tell Lucy Dan's in Magnolia."

Natsu shook his head, "She won't take it well. Plus, she'll know I'm not who I say I am. I have to tell her I'm an Angel first."

"UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES do you tell her you're an Angel, got it?" Gajeel hissed, "You want to bring down the wrath of Heaven? You're playing with fire as it is, falling in love with your assignment! Tell her you've been assigned by a cop to watch over her. That's the truth. I'm the cop, and I'm assigning you! Let her know she will be very protected. But tell her. She has the right to know."

Natsu nodded slowly.

"If she freaks, use _presence._ It's an ability Cupids have to let their assignments know they're not alone. It comforts them. Helps them forget anxiety. Can you do that?"

Natsu nodded again. He hadn't used that ability.

"See you at home," Gajeel said. He disappeared out the door to where Levy was waiting at the curb.

Natsu sighed heavily, making his way back to Lucy's room.

"Gajeel and Levy are gone now!" he told her.

"Yes, I know," Lucy giggled. She paused thoughtfully, "Natsu? What do you think about letting go of one of our rooms?"

He was quiet for a moment as he contemplated it.

"There's only two of us left. I might be lonely without Levy here," Lucy said quietly.

They locked eyes.

Natsu leaned in and kissed her lips lightly, "Pack your bags. I'll help you move your stuff."

Lucy grinned as she proceeded to put her things into her suitcase. He took the suitcases as she went to the front desk, checking out of her room.

* * *

Minerva picked out the supervising cops after watching for several moments and pointed them out to Erik.

"I'm going below to see if there's anything to point out to cops there," she said.

Erik nodded and Minerva disappeared.

Mulligan Angels could not flit in the _shadows_ , but they had a different ability that allowed instant travel: _Transport_. Once dismissed from Jellal this morning, Erik and Minerva had transported back to the edge of the cliff where they knew the police would be still investigating. Mulligan Angels also had the ability to remain invisible, but they couldn't use _transparency._ They had no ability to speak with or contact the humans until it was time to intervene before their deaths.

Erik had personally witnessed Samuel and Dan kill the older woman and the young couple. The young couple were sent down the cliff with the gold car, but the older woman was buried in a shallow grave about 300 feet from where Droy stood.

Erik moved a branch in front of Droy. Droy didn't even budge. He was looking over some paper work that he'd have to fill out when they got back to the station. Erik was going to have to work harder to get his attention.

He flung a rock at Droy's feet. Droy looked up, but went back to his paperwork almost immediately.

" _Compel,"_ Erik whispered, "Come on, you big oaf…follow me."

Droy wrinkled his nose, looking off into the forest. Erik moved another branch. Putting his paperwork down on the gate of his pick-up truck, Droy moved into the forest slowly.

"What is it?" Jet yelled, watching his partner.

"I just gotta see something," Droy yelled back, "I feel like there's something in this direction."

Jet ran to catch up to him, "You _feel_ like there's something in this direction?"

"I can't explain it. Call it intuition if want. I just really feel like there's something we're missing."

They walked together in silence for a few minutes.

Droy pointed to some footprints in the mud, then ton of disturbed dirt.

"I really hope that's not what I think it is," Jet said, looking at the length of the disturbed dirt.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," Droy said dryly, "I'll get a shovel."

2000 feet below, Minerva looked at the landscape of jagged rocks, waves crashing violently into them. There was not a lot of hope of finding the young couple's bodies here. By now, the ocean had sent pieces of the remainders of the cars - and anything else - out to sea and spread it around very well. Still, if Erik could get Droy to find one of the bodies, it might become apparent more people had been killed for the second car. Once Missing Person reports were filed and they were able to identify the car that had been sent off the edge, perhaps they'd be able to identify the people who went over the cliff and at least inform their families.

She _transported_ back to Erik's location.

"Don't think we're finding any bodies down there," she told him, "There's barely anything left of those vehicles. Everything that hasn't already been found has been washed out to sea."

Erik nodded toward the woods, "Droy is about to find the old woman."

* * *

Gray followed a very panicked Juvia off the airplane. He hadn't figured out what had happened to her to make her so freaked out all of a sudden. She hailed a taxi, but she didn't ask it to take her home. She hurried to 8-Island. Seeing the 'Closed' sign, she asked the cab driver to go to the police station. She didn't even _try_ to go in to the restaurant.

He followed her in _shadow_ form as she ran up the steps and went straight to the front desk.

"My name is Juvia Lockser. I'm the owner of 8-Island…my employees…are they still here?"

The front desk lady checked her computer, "We have a few employees here, yes. They've been here since early in the morning, giving statements. They refused to leave each other's sides last night, so an officer kept them all company at Cana Alberona's house to ensure their safety. You have a pretty great employee base."

"Thank you…I know they're all amazing, aren't they? Please…they're the only family I have," Juvia begged, "Please let me see them."

"I'll take her, Bisca," a new voice said, "Thanks."

Juvia turned to see a blond man with a large black eye, "My name is Sting. This is my partner, Rogue. I assume you're Juvia?"

Rogue nodded to her. He had an awkward bandage on his nose and both eyes were blackish.

She nodded back, recognizing the names from the odd conversation where Gajeel mentioned them, "Please let me see my staff. I just need to know they're okay."

He gestured for him to follow her, "Come with me. I'll take you."

When the door flung open, Juvia was covered with hugs and tears. Cana was still upset over the whole incident. Kinana was clearly just as upset. Lisanna and Loke were just plain angry. Mest looked like he'd not slept in a week, not just one night. Virgo was the only one actually sitting down quietly.

"What in the hell happened?" Juvia demanded. She glanced at Cana, who had tear stains on her face.

"Some men were looking for Lucy," she said quietly.

"Oh my god," Juvia whispered, "They found out where Lucy works."

Juvia turned white, knowing the backstory as to why men would be looking for Lucy, or at parts of it. Gajeel had every intention of reporting everything to the police...so he wouldn't mind if she spilled some details...would he?

"Do you know something?" Sting asked, watching her reaction.

Juvia nodded slowly, "Yes."

The other staff members looked at Juvia inquisitively.

Sting put a supportive arm on her shoulder, "Then maybe we should have a talk. Are you okay with that?"

Juvia nodded, exchanging glances with her shocked employees as he guided her from the room.

Gray followed behind, a worried expression on his face.

* * *

Levy and Gajeel stood back, satisfied. They had rented a U-Haul, securing their precious cargo at the front of the load, then filling the rest of the trailer with used furniture they bought at a garage sale to cover up their load.

Jellal and the rest of Crime Sorciere were incredible. They had absolute confidence in their movements. Wendy started by charming the front desk, making them susceptible to conversation. In a matter of 10 minutes, Gajeel had talked to the front desk, told them he was removing some things from storage, and convinced them he didn't need to do paperwork. As he dealt with the front end, Levy led Jellal and Wendy to the storage unit with dollies. They had the room empty within moments. It occurred to Levy that Mulligan abilities were kind of like using Jedi-mind tricks. They were able to make employees believe anything they said and therefore completely avoided conflict.

"I think we're ready to get going," Gajeel said to Jellal, "Are you meeting us in Magnolia?"

Jellal shook his head, "Wendy will meet you there. I should be hearing from Minerva and Erik shortly. They will stay on as long as you need...but I won't be joining you there."

Gajeel cocked his head, "Other assignments?"

Jellal looked at his feet, "I can't go to Magnolia, Gajeel. For reasons I'd rather not go into. Minerva will be pulled out as soon as possible as well."

Gajeel nodded, not asking further questions. Levy caught the pain in Jellal's eyes. She knew every Angel in Crime Sorciere had a past, with the exception of Wendy. She hoped one day Jellal would confide in one or all of his Angels. She hoped one day Gajeel would confide in her and reveal what _his_ past consisted of.

"Drive safely," Jellal said.

"We will," Levy promised, "And thank you."

Jellal nodded. Wendy waved.

The truck pulled away from the curb.

"You know that Gray will eventually put the pieces together," Wendy said, "He's actually met you in the past."

Jellal nodded, "I know. I just need time to figure out how I'm going to deal with it. I'm ashamed, Wendy. I don't want Erza to know what I've become. I'm sure Minerva feels the same."

Wendy cocked her head, "Don't you think that's what she'll see, Jellal? What you've _become_? You're the leader of Crime Sorciere. You've paid your debt 1000 times over. Don't you think _that's_ what she'll see? She won't blame you for what happened in the past."

Jellal didn't answer, watching as the truck turned left at the intersection and out of view. The truth was, he didn't _want_ to face his past. He just hoped Erza wouldn't run into Minerva.

* * *

Erza was following Dan and Samuel as they made their move to another hotel. She was still sending them blatant messages. She threw a large rock onto their rear windshield before they even got out into the parking lot. This time, they had scored a black Dodge Dart. Samuel was in love with the car, so he was really, really angry at the damaged windshield.

"I'll take the car to Onibus to get the windshield changed as soon as we secure another hotel room," he stated, "We should both be laying low anyway. There's no doubt the restaurant staff called police."

Dan nodded, "It would be easier just to get another car. Perhaps we'd be better to stick together. I'm wondering who the hell is following us too. And what they did with my Lucy picture!"

"They're trying to tell us to get out of town for sure," Samuel agreed, "but they have no idea who they're dealing with. We'll lay low today. I'll go get the car fixed."

Erza pounded her fist into her hand in the _shadows._

 _They didn't know who they were dealing with either._

* * *

Once they were in a private room, Sting offered Juvia some water. Rogue watched from the 2-way mirror. It was less intimidating for people who were making a report to talk to one person.

"I'm going to record this. We're building a case and your information could really help us," Sting told her, "Are you okay with that?"

Juvia nodded again.

"Okay...so let's start with how you know Lucy."

"She's my employee," Juvia said, pausing, "And my friend."

Sting paused, "And are you familiar with someone named 'Levy' as well?"

Juvia nodded, "They're roommates and best friends."

Sting wrote something down on a pad of paper.

Dread spread through her, "Please...tell me what happened."

"A few days ago, a man assaulted a librarian while looking for Levy," Sting told her, "Last night, we think the same man tried to threaten your employees. They wanted Lucy. So your information that they're roommates is helpful."

"Your black eye," Juvia said softly.

"Yes," Sting confirmed, "The man and I have had a confrontation already. That's part of the reason I'll do everything in my power to keep you and your employees safe. But I need to know where Lucy and Levy are. I heard Levy went on vacation. Did Lucy go with her? Were _you_ with them?"

Juvia nodded. Sting made her feel at ease. She could sense that he just wanted to help. In the shadows, Gray was happy with how Sting was handling it too, but inside he was seething. He needed to find Erza as soon as he knew Juvia and her employees would be okay.

"We were in Crocus," Juvia said softly.

"Was Gajeel with you?" Sting asked.

Juvia nodded again, "Lucy, Levy and Gajeel will all be back tomorrow."

"Is he protecting Lucy and Levy?"

Juvia nodded a third time. Sting felt a surge of respect for his fellow officer, although he really should have been in contact with the precinct to let them know what was going on...especially if the men chasing Lucy and Levy were dangerous. Maybe he just didn't know how dangerous they were.

"Do you know the men that are after Lucy and Levy?" Sting asked.

Juvia froze. This was where she was wondering if she should cross the line. She had no qualms about telling Sting what she knew first hand, but she wasn't sure she should reveal what was told to her in confidence. Gajeel would tell them himself.

The question was if _Juvia_ knew the men...not if _she knew details about the men._

"No. I've never seen them," she said finally. Gray wanted to high-five her. Good answer.

"Have Lucy and Levy ever told you details about past encounters?" Sting asked.

Juvia shook her head again, relieved because she would not be forced into a corner where had to lie. Lucy and Levy hadn't told her anything. It was almost like Sting knew where to draw the boundary lines.

"Do you know if they've ever hurt anyone?"

Juvia shook her head, "I only know that Lucy is a really great person caught up in a very bad situation. I don't know details. Gajeel told me what I needed to know only - that they're being followed and he was taking steps to protect them."

"So what was the purpose behind the Crocus trip?" Sting asked.

"Rest and relaxation," Juvia said honestly, "And to get Lucy and Levy out of town until Gajeel could determine if it was safe to return to Magnolia."

Sting nodded. He had wondered if Gajeel suspected Dan and Samuel would be rolling into town.

Gray was _nudging_ Sting to steer away from asking about the things in Crocus. Let Gajeel fill answer the tough questions. Gray would protect Juvia as best as he could, even though Sting was only trying to help. He could see the dilemma in Juvia's eyes as she decided what to tell Sting and what to keep to herself.

"What did they say to my employees?" Juvia asked, her voice shaking.

"They warned them, Cana in particular, that they'd be back. They advised metaphorically that they wanted answers."

Juvia covered her eyes with her hand, shielding her face from Sting seeing the tears starting to gather there.

"You're a good boss, Juvia," Sting said softly, "Your employees are lucky to have such a good employer. You really care about them. I can tell. We're lucky...nobody at the restaurant was hurt."

"They hurt someone else, didn't they?"

Sting didn't answer, but she saw it in his face.

The tears spilled over despite Juvia trying to hold them at bay. Gray felt the urge to take her in his arms.

"Your employees are next door still," Sting said, "Take a minute, then go to them. We're done taking all of your statements for now. I suggest not going anywhere alone for awhile."

"I'm closing the business for a few days," Juvia whispered.

Sting nodded, shutting the door behind him as he walked out.

Juvia hold both hands over her mouth, allowing her tears to spill over. Gray was splitting apart inside. He felt her anguish like it was his own. She felt it was her fault for endangering her employees. Beyond that, she suspected someone else _HAD_ been hurt, due to the look that Sting had given her. Gray had the same thoughts.

He moved in _transparency_ and sat beside her. He reached for her hand, then stopped.

 _He couldn't outright touch her._

Instead, he whispered, _"Presence."_

Standing behind the chair, he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head in underneath his. Juvia felt the presence, but not his touch. She knew she was alone, yet she felt protected. She basked in the comfort, allowing herself to break down completely. Her sobbing broke his heart. Pretty soon, his own tears mingled with hers. It was pointless to try to be okay with letting her go. He wasn't. Gray Fullbuster loved Juvia Lockser as much now as he did when he was alive. He felt her pain as realistically as if it were his own.

 ** _WOW! Responses are so appreciated - who will be Commenter 100?_**

 ** _Things are getting really serious in the next few chapters...some serious NaLu is headed your way..._**

 ** _I'm updating every 2nd day now, as one comment I've commonly received is that it's hard to keep up_**

 ** _\- please let me know if this works better for you._**

 ** _Just so you all know, it's positively killing me. lol I want to post it all now!_**

 ** _Some really exciting events are coming up - hang on to your hats. We're in for a wild ride!_**


	43. Chapter 43

Juvia sat with her employees in the room. Everyone was quiet. Juvia had just finished telling them everything she'd told Sting.

"I'm sorry," she said finally, "We'll close the restaurant for a few days until the police figure out what's going on."

Cana shook her head, "I don't think you should."

"Me neither," Loke said, looking Juvia in the eyes, "Those jerks want to hurt Lucy. If we close the restaurant, it's like we're hiding from them. It'll just make them angrier and they'll just come back when we re-open."

Juvia said, "I can't ask you to go through that again!"

"Lucy is one of us," Kinana said softly, "We need to protect her. Maybe the best thing we can do is stand our ground."

"And get some bear spray," Cana said, her arms crossed, "And a baseball bat."

"When is Lucy back?" Loke asked.

"Tomorrow," Juvia said.

Mest put a hand on Juvia's arm, "We all think you're the best boss we've ever had," he said gently, "And we all care about Lucy. Whatever you decide, we're all right behind you."

Juvia glanced from face to face, "We're staying closed for at least today. You're all exhausted. You will all be paid double for yesterday and today for sure. I know that's very little considering what you've been though. I wish I could do more. Personally, I'd like to stay closed for the week. I don't want any of you caught up in whatever this is."

"That means a lot to us... That you would protect us like that," Virgo said, "You really are the best boss. But you aren't just our boss. We're more like family than anything."

The others nodded. Juvia tried not to tear up again. That meant more to her than they realized.

"Thank you," she said, "No one goes home alone, okay?"

They all nodded. Kinana pulled out her phone and called her sister for a ride home. Virgo and Lisanna decided to carpool since they lived in the same building. Mest would drive Cana home. Loke offered to take Juvia.

She accepted Loke's offer, making up her mind that she needed to talk to Gajeel as soon as possible to delay Lucy and Levy's return as soon as she got home. It would be better if they stayed out of Magnolia. After leaving a message for Sting that they'd all get home safely, they left the station.

* * *

Sting and Rogue had been called out to the cliff grounds again. Jet and Droy had a forensic group bagging a body.

"Owner of one of the cars?" Sting asked.

Rogue came alongside him, "An older woman. And yes. We figure the gold car."

Sting hung his head, "Then who was the driver of the other car…and where are they now?"

"More importantly, where's Samuel and his buddy?" Rogue kicked the tire of his truck, utterly frustrated.

"Go see Laki," Sting said, "I'll wrap up things here. I don't think much else will happen today."

Rogue nodded, waving to the other cops before he got into his truck and drove back to town.

* * *

"Country? Really?" Levy gawked as Gajeel changed the radio station. They were coming into another small town, having been on the road for a few hours. They needed gas.

"What?" Gajeel asked.

"You just don't fit the…country listener stereotype," Levy couldn't contain a giggle.

"Is that right?" Gajeel grunted, making Levy laugh even harder.

"Juvia's so right! You do Ge hi hi when you grunt!"

He shook his head, smiling slightly as he pulled into a gas station. He got out of the truck and began to pump gas.

He opened the driver's door when he was done to speak to her, "There's a restaurant here. Are you hungry?"

Levy nodded. She'd been in the human world for so long that food was actually necessary for her. Perhaps it was just habit, but she did enjoy three meals a day.

He got in the truck and pulled it into the parking lot, rounding the front end to open her door for her.

He offered her his hand to help her down from the truck, then paused, staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Are you still nervous?" he brushed his hand over her thigh, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'd be stupid not to be," Levy replied, avoiding his gaze, "Dan and Samuel are dangerous."

"Crime Sorciere is dangerous," Gajeel replied, "It will be okay. I promise."

She refused to look at his eyes. He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Do you know that I slept with you before I even kissed you properly?" he asked.

She turned red, "We didn't _sleep_ together."

He grinned wickedly, "Oh but we did! I remember! I woke up, you woke up…same bed. You started out in the other bed, you know. Sometime during the night, you crawled into bed with me on your own accord!"

She pushed him away, getting down from the truck herself.

"The point is," he said softly, lifting her chin, "I haven't kissed you properly. In fact, I've barely brushed your lips...twice now! I promised you once that I would rectify that. And I didn't. We got busy with everything else. Furthermore, you drank and showed up at my door and we slept in the same bed…even with a second bed in the room...and I was good _all night._ You have no idea how hard that was! And I STILL didn't get to kiss you properly."

She was torn between giggling and kissing him. They'd kissed a couple times now...and the second kiss was _not_ a brush of the lips. He was totally teasing her, trying to make her worry less about what was going to happen when they got to Magnolia. She appreciated it.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. He was good at making her feel better. She focused as his gaze zeroed in on her lips.

"So can I?" he whispered, rubbing his nose gently against hers.

She nodded, barely able to breathe.

He kissed her gently at first, wrapping one arm around her waist and cradling her head in the other hand. After a minute, he kissed harder. Her head was reeling, dizzy even. For the moment, it was working. Levy completely forgot about being scared.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy held hands as they left the live theater.

"What did you think of the play?" Lucy asked.

It had been a play about two lovers, separated by a war, and their journey to reunite.

"Super-emotional!" Natsu grinned, "I like happy endings, but I'm not so much for violence."

She laughed, "Could have fooled me by the way you got into that food fight the other night! Seems to me that you rather like fighting."

Natsu shrugged, "I will neither confirm nor deny that."

"I can't believe the day is almost gone already," she sighed, "Levy and Gajeel should be getting back to Magnolia soon. Juvia is already there. And we have to go back tomorrow."

Natsu went quiet. He hated that he had to tell her. Gajeel hadn't said much about timing though. Maybe he could wait until they were on the plane and she had no choice but to go back to Magnolia. The truth was, _he_ didn't want to go back to Magnolia. He had a foreboding feeling…like something bad would happen if he took her back.

"Natsu?" she stopped walking, watching his face, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," he said, bringing her in for a tight hug. A really tight hug.

"It's not nothing…you're upset about something," she returned the hug, "You know you can tell me anything. Is it about what you were going to tell me the other day?"

He shook his head, "Really Luce. It's all good. Let's enjoy our night together. We have no clue how long it will be before we really get another chance to be alone."

She nodded, going up on her tippy toes to kiss him, "So what should we do?"

"Let's get dinner first," he suggested, "Then let's have another soak in the hot springs."

"Sounds good."

She slipped her hand back into his, threading their fingers together and they continued down the road.

* * *

Gray was sitting on the couch at the apartment, fresh out of the shower. He didn't bother putting any clothes on. Erza wasn't home. Happy curled up onto his stomach almost immediately, purring loudly.

"Poor little guy. You've been alone a lot in the past couple days, haven't you?" Gray patted him, "But I see your dish is almost full, so you haven't been _completely_ alone."

Happy rubbed himself into his hand.

"I know the feeling, buddy."

He cocked his head, watching the kitten as he looked up at Gray with big, round eyes.

"What is it about you that makes me think I can tell you all my secrets?"

The kitten mewed, rubbing his head under Gray's hand again. Taking the hint, Gray pet him.

Happy curled up in a ball on Gray's chest, Gray's hands protectively cupping him. He was still very tiny and he fit perfectly inside.

"I have to admit, you're pretty adorable. Don't tell Natsu I said that though...he'll think I'm going soft."

Happy looked up, mewing as if he were asking where Natsu was.

"He'll be back tomorrow," Gray promised, "Lucy too. I know how much you like her. You haven't been _that_ deprived. Lucy said her colleague, Cana, was by to feed you every day. And Erza has been here. Where is she anyway? I have a lot to tell her: the contents of the gold bars, meeting the Doover Angels."

Gray's eyes widened as he jolted upright, "Happy...you just helped me remember where I've seen Jellal!"

Happy tumbled off of Gray's chest, mewing all the way down to the floor. He jumped up onto the coffee table, stalking over to his food bowl, mewing the whole way to express his outrage at Gray for making his leave the comfortable spot.

"Sorry Happy," Gray apologized, "But thanks for the talk! I'm starting to think you're no ordinary cat. I've gotta go find Erza!"

He bounded out the door, barely stopping long enough to lock the door.

Two minutes later, he returned for some clothes.

* * *

Erza was in the _shadows_ watching Samuel and Dan argue. Samuel wanted to go fix the window of the Dodge Dart. He liked the car and wanted to keep it for awhile. Dan thought they needed to call _him_ and ask for more money.

Erza wondered who _he_ was. She realized whoever it was funded Dan and Samuel's expenses. The question was why.

Dan dialed a number on the phone.

"Yeah, it's me," he said. He took the phone and entered the hotel room for privacy.

Samuel sat out at the car, waiting until Dan was in the room with the door shut. Erza was about to flit into the room so she could listen to at least half the conversation when she noticed Samuel making a call of his own.

"We're in Magnolia and I don't have long to talk," he said, "Dipshit is calling _him_ for more money."

Erza cocked her head, straining to hear better, but she couldn't hear the voice in the cell phone at all.

"They're here. We know they're here. We haven't seen them yet though," Samuel was saying.

Samuel held the phone away from his ear as the person on the other end shouted at him. Erza still couldn't make out the voice, but it obvious they were angry.

"Just make sure you're ready. You need to be able to intervene as soon as I call you. Bye."

Samuel hung up just as Dan exited the motel room.

"Took you long enough!" he huffed.

Dan fingered him.

"We'll have $5000 at the nearest Cash Stop in an hour," Dan informed him, getting into the passenger side of the Dart, "He says screw the car. Don't bother with the windshield. Just get the gear out of the back."

"He didn't say that," Samuel muttered, "You're _saying_ he said that to get your own way."

"You wanna call him and get it from the horse's mouth?" Dan challenged him.

Samuel shook his head, "Let's go. Fourth fuckin' car in two days."

Erza moved to the back seat, deciding it would be prudent for her to see what they meant by 'get another car'. She was still thinking about the two phone calls the men had made separately. Were they working for different people? It really didn't sound like they trusted each other at all. And they fought constantly.

They drove out on the highway to their usual spot, but Samuel kept driving as they noticed the police presence there.

"SHIT!" Dan seethed, "They found our spot. What the hell do we do now?"

"We'll turn around up here," Samuel said, "and go straight back to town. We'll have to find another place to dump cars."

They drove in silence for a few minutes. Samuel pulled aside at a wide curbside and pulled a U-turn.

"What else did _he_ say?" Samuel asked after a few minutes.

"He's waiting for us to get a sighting, then he's planning to come here himself."

"Shit," Samuel said under his breath, "That's the last thing we need. We've gotta find those girls and deal with them fast."

They passed the police site again, both of them staring at the blocked off area.

"We'll keep our eyes open for that Laki girl. And there were other people working at the library. Plus, those people at the café know something," Dan said, "We can't go back there during the day…"

Samuel nodded, a slow smile crossing his face, "Tonight. Let's get some things from the hardware store and we'll break into the café tonight. Maybe they'll have an address book."

* * *

Gray had looked everywhere for Erza, but had been completely unsuccessful. He finally gave up and went home, flitting next door to make sure Plue had food and water. The dog was ridiculously excited at having company, so he decided to bring Plue home. He _and_ Happy were attention deprived. They both needed some serious attention.

At first, Happy fluffed up and hissed. Plue barked once, then got down on the ground on all fours, making whimpering sounds as he inched toward the little kitten.

Gray thought it was cute. Plue wanted to be friends.

Gray sat on the couch and beckoned Plue to join him, then started to call Happy. Eventually Happy got over his initial reaction and decided to curl up on Gray's chest, eyeing the dog cautiously.

"See Happy? Plue's just a big baby. He's not going to hurt you."

Happy mewed in response, then curled up and went to sleep.

The door opened and Erza walked in.

"Well it's about time!" Gray said loudly.

"You're home!"

"Have been for hours! Where have you been?"

Erza sat down on the couch, heaving a deep sigh.

"I've got a lot to tell you," she said heavily.

"Me too," Gray said, "I'll go first. The trip to Crocus was a big success. We know what's in the gold bars. And -"

"Dan and Samuel have been on a rampage here in town," Erza interrupted solemnly, "They've threatened people at both Lucy and Levy's work and I think they've done something out on the highway. I don't know what, but there's a heavy police presence. Plus, they're not driving the red Camry anymore and they're planning to break into 8-Island tonight."

Gray was stunned, "Okay…you go first."

* * *

Rogue pulled up to his house. He opened the door with his key.

"Laki! I'm home!"

She came around the corner, a slight smile on her face.

"Did you have a good day?"

Rogue chuckled. They sounded like they were married.

"We learned a few things today, I suppose. How are you holding up?"

She tilted her head, "Okay, I suppose. I'm a lot calmer today."

"I've been thinking," Rogue said, gesturing for her to sit on the couch, "I don't know when it's going to be okay for you to go back to looking for a job or anything. We have a few options to keep you safe. You can go to Crocus to a safe house, or we can set up a job where you're working in the back room somewhere here in Magnolia…under protection."

"I'll think about it," she said softly.

"In the meantime, you can stay here again tonight," he put his work gear on the ground and headed for the bathroom.

She picked up his work gear, hanging up his hat and backpack on the hook by the door. She went back to the kitchen, stirring the soup that she'd made for Rogue's dinner. She was happy to stay another night. She'd told Rogue she was calmer today, but inside, she was still a quivering mess.

* * *

Gray and Erza sat outside the 8-Island Restaurant in two different spots. Gray was covering the back, Erza the front.

It was about 2:00 in the morning when they first caught sight of movement. Erza picked up on it to and rounded to the back of the building, where Gray was watching. Dan and Samuel arrived dressed in black head to foot. They were skilled in their movements, barely making a sound. Dan gestured upward. There was a security camera in the alley.

Samuel moved through the alley under the cover of darkness, getting directly beneath the camera. It was about 15 feet above his head. He pulled out a sling shot, breaking the lens with his first shot before gesturing to Dan. Dan moved onto the security box, cutting the wires expertly.

Nodding to each other, they used a crow bar to pry the door open.

"They've done this before," Erza said to Gray.

Gray nodded, "Bastards."

He had heard all of Erza's story now. And he was as pissed as she was. He loved her revenge for Laki story and vowed to get a few revenge acts of revenge in himself.

They followed Dan and Samuel into the door. The restaurant was pitch black. Both men pulled out night time infrared goggles.

"The office will be this way, I think," Dan said, leading the way. Since the office was in the centre of the building with no windows, he turned on the light. Dan headed straight for a filing cabinet, Samuel for the desk drawers.

Erza grinned mischievously, showing Gray that she had lifted Samuel's phone from his pocket. She motioned that she was going to call the police to get Dan and Samuel caught in the act. He nodded.

"What was that?" Samuel stood absolutely still, listening.

"Probably a mouse," Dan said, "Employee files! Got them! Here we go!"

He opened the file and started rifling through here.

"Cana Alberona," Dan said, "That's the bitch who lied to my face. Loke Mane, Lisanna Strauss, Virgo Keys, Kinana, Mest, Juvia Lockser…and here we are! Lucy Ashley."

He stroked Lucy's picture as he opened the file, "You're using your middle name as your last name, Baby...don't worry. Soon you'll have a new last name anyway."

"We don't have time for that shit. Take the entire file and let's go!" Samuel hissed.

They turned off the lights, using their infrared glasses to show themselves out the door. Gray stood off to the side to let them pass, knowing Erza had the police on their way.. Both men froze, staring at him.

Gray's eyes widened. He stood perfectly still, but it seriously looked like they were looking directly at him. He lifted a hand, watching both men follow his movements.

He gasped loudly, almost in conjunction with the men beside him…

 _They can see me!_


	44. Chapter 44

_**NALU WARNING!**_

 ** _This Chapter is dedicated to OtakuPrincess28_**

 ** _\- thank you for helping me make sure the story flows right!_**

Gray moved his hand out, watching the men follow it.

 _They can see me!_ Gray realized, standing perfectly still.

"Who the fuck are you?" Samuel growled in a low voice.

Gray looked behind him and to both sides…they could definitely see him...there was no one else around. He was still shell-shocked. Shaking his head, he got himself together. Might as well use it to his advantage.

"Leave the girls alone!" Gray warned, deciding to play on Erza's previous warnings. He conjured his nastiest don't-mess-with-me-face and scowled at them, "I'm watching you! Get out of Magnolia."

"WHO IN THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Samuel yelled, taking a swing at Gray.

Gray dodged, swinging his foot in a wide circle and knocking Samuel off his feet. The infrared glasses fell off of his face.

"Shit! I can't see him!" Samuel yelled. He was desperately feeling the floor in the darkness for his glasses. Dan was still staring at Gray. He pulled out a gun and fired, missing Gray by several feet. The second bullet, however, grazed past his ear.

Gray went from _transparency_ to _shadow,_ praying that infrared wouldn't pick on his presence there. His gamble paid off.

Samuel found the glasses, scrambled to his feet, and put them on immediately. He pulled a gun too, but the room was dead silent and Gray's image was gone.

"Was that a ghost?" Dan asked, alarm in his voice.

Samuel scoffed, "A figment of our imagination! Let's go!"

They both hurried through the stock room for the back door. Gray ran ahead, knocking things off shelves as he ran. He got to the back door first and slammed it, trapping the men inside.

Even Samuel was beginning to get a little bit upset.

"I don't know who you are, but you're fucking with the wrong people!" Samuel yelled.

He and Dan were back to back, moving in a circle.

Sirens began to wail in the distance, progressively getting louder.

"We have to get out of here," Dan murmured, "Ghost or no ghost, the cops are coming."

"They're coming to the back door," Samuel said, "Let's get out the front."

They both broke into a run. Gray flitted to the restaurant area, pushing over tables and chairs directly into the path to the door.

Erza flitted inside the restaurant too, eyes wide as she saw Gray go into _transparency_ again. She watched the men stare at him wide eyed. _They could see him._

"Leave the girls alone!" Gray repeated, smacking a table with his fist so hard that it flipped, "This is your last warning! Leave Magnolia!"

Erza chuckled to herself as she watched Gray flit back into the shadows. She knew what his game plan was now…and she liked it.

* * *

It was well after two in the morning when Natsu and Lucy came back to the hotel.

Now they were back in 'their' room, glancing nervously at each other as they both fetched their pajamas from their perspective suitcases.

Natsu didn't really have pajamas. He usually slept in his boxers. He wasn't sure where the sudden tension had come from. They'd had an excellent time at the buffet. Natsu had tried new foods he'd never been exposed to before. Then, during their soak at the hot springs, they'd met another really nice couple and had a good conversation with them. It was really awesome to just be themselves. They had even managed to make friends with new people outside of their small circle of usual friends…as a couple. This was huge to both of them, as making friends was not easy for either of them.

They reminded each other again that they had no idea how long it would be before they had another opportunity to be alone, so they went out on the town. The nightlife in Crocus was amazing. There were street vendors out even at that late hour. They walked arm in arm until they came across a casino. Going in, Natsu was quickly losing his money, but Lucy hit a lucky slot and managed to win all his money back and some. To boot, he hit a second jackpot after she did. They walked out with enough money to pay Lucy's rent for 3 months. It only occurred to them how late it was when the casino closed.

"I had a good time tonight," Lucy said.

Natsu was fumbling with suitcase zipper. Again, he had no clue why...he slept in his boxers. It's not like he needed anything inside. She put her hand overtop of his, gently unzipping the suitcase for him. It felt like electricity as she leaned up and brushed his lips lightly with hers.

"I had fun too, Luce," he turned, taking her in his arms, "We might be sorry tomorrow though. We'll be overtired."

She giggled, "I wouldn't change a thing."

He kissed her this time, "Me neither."

Backing away reluctantly, she returned to her suitcase to find her pajamas.

It dawned on him just how alone they were. The two Queen-sized beds sat untouched. The maids had been in to clean everything up during the day. It was the first time they'd have a night together completely unsupervised. All of their friends had already left Crocus. Lucy appeared to be humming and hawing at her suitcase, picking up a garment, putting it back, then picking it up again.

"I'm…going to change," Lucy said, her cheeks bright red as she finally picked it up and went for the bathroom.

Natsu huffed as he sat on the bed. He wished he could understand this sudden nervousness that he felt.

He took his shirt off, stretching as he chucked it to the suitcase, then reached for the button of his jeans.

The bathroom door opened and he turned. His eyes bulged as he realized Lucy was wearing a sheer piece of lingerie that barely covered her. Her breasts swelled out of the red fabric.

"Do you like it?" she asked, blushing wildly, "Juvia and I bought it when she was looking for a swimsuit. She said…she said...you'd love it."

She looked down nervously, then back up to gauge his reaction.

Natsu couldn't reply as his mouth dropped open. He wavered on his feet.

* * *

The standoff continued. Erza slipped into _transparency_ , standing behind Gray with her fists clenched.

"You won't be warned again," Gray hissed, "Leave Magnolia and don't come back."

Samuel let out an angry roar, pulling something from his pocket and chucking it directly at Gray and Erza. A second later, an explosion rocked the restaurant, support beams from the ceiling crashing down around them. What didn't blow up was now on fire.

Samuel and Dan didn't waste any time making their exit.

"ERZA!" Gray yelled, glancing around him, "ERZA WHERE ARE YOU?"

He started searching the fallen beams for any sign of her, desperately moving things. He found her unconscious underneath a beam. Gray was trying to pull her out with all his strength but was quickly realizing he couldn't do it. The fire was spreading. Suddenly, two shadows entered the restaurant, lifting the beam. Gray strained his eyes, trying to see their faces through the smoke.

"Get her out of here," a male voice said, "Hurry! The police are coming and you do not want to have to explain things to them."

With no time to spare, Gray picked Erza up in his arms and ran. He would not be able to flit through the _shadows_ carrying her once they left the restaurant.. They would be exposed and visible if Dan and Samuel decided to look for them using their glasses, even in _transparency._ The sooner he got her back to the apartment, the better.

He only turned to look behind him once, pangs of sadness ripping through his body as he saw Juvia's dreams going up in smoke. The fire was raging now. Erza stirred in his arms and Gray turned his focus onto getting her to a safe place.

* * *

Natsu felt weak in the knees. He sunk to the bed, staring at her. Her legs were bare. Her chest was heaving above the fabric of the sheer red garment. He could see her belly button through it. He was pretty sure his eyes would pop right out of his head as she came a bit closer.

"You aren't going to faint again, are you?" she asked sultrily, running a finger down his cheek.

He caught her hand, looking upward to make eye contact with her, but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything. It was like he'd lost his tongue. His mouth opened, trying to make sounds, but he didn't even know what to say even if he _could_ make a sound. She was stunning...unbelievably sexy.

"I don't know if you're ready," she said, guilt and embarrassment crossing her face.

"Ready?" he repeated. He was still watching her with wide eyes.

She looked down at her feet, "I told Juvia that. She insisted that every girl needs a night like this and if we wasted it, we might not get another chance for months. I don't know when the next time we're going to be alone is. I just wanted tonight to be special."

"Special?" he repeated again. He felt like all his brain cells had left him. He couldn't think straight. He'd felt what he now knew was _lust_ a few times now, but nothing like this.

"I'll go put my other pajamas on," she said, turning to go back to the bathroom.

He caught her wrist again, pulling her back toward him. He was sitting on the bed. Standing in front of him, her breasts were at eye level.

"Luce…"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her breasts. She stroked his hair gently before he finally got the courage to kiss his way up to her lips.

She put one knee on the bed. He moaned slightly, their lips touching ever so lightly before locking in one of the most heated kisses Natsu had ever experienced.

"Don't go," he whispered, initiating another searing kiss, "You're _so beautiful!"_

Lucy's lack of self-confidence disappeared as she felt him envelope her body. She gave into him. Maybe the nightie hadn't been such a bad idea afterall.

* * *

Placing Erza gently on the bed that was now considered hers, Gray checked her for injuries. He was trying not to panic. She had minor scratches on her forehead and her arm had a gash in the forearm. Nothing major. But Gray had a lot of questions about what just happened.

Erza stirred, slowly opening her eyes.

"Gray?"

"NEVER scare me like that again!" he scolded, bringing her in for a hug.

"What happened?" Erza asked, rubbing her head.

"That's what I'd like to know," Gray said solemnly.

"They could _see_ you!" she realized.

Gray nodded, "It had something to do with the glasses they were wearing because when I knocked the bald man's glasses off, he couldn't see me anymore. I'm also at a loss as to why they were able to hurt you, let alone knock you out."

She groaned, "The support beam came down on my head. I couldn't get out of the way in time."

"But you're an Angel! It shouldn't have hurt you! Plus, weren't you in the _shadows?_!"

"I had gone _transparent_ long enough to try to help you contain them. The next thing I knew, the walls were crashing down. How did you get it off me?"

Gray sighed, "I've been mulling over that one myself," he said, "There were two other Angels. They had different abilities than ours. Strength. Ridiculous strength."

"Could it have been Mulligan members?" Erza asked.

Gray had filled her in on what the group had learned out in Crocus, leaving out the part about Jellal and Minerva until he could determine how she might react. She wasn't surprised to learn Gajeel was an Angel. The work Crime Sorciere did impressed her as did the history they were able to piece together.

"No," Gray replied, "Their abilities are different again. These Angels were something else. At the very least, they weren't Mulligan."

Erza frowned, "Another mystery. This just keeps getting more complicated."

"And we lost Dan and Samuel. Guaranteed they won't go back to the hotel room," Gray sat on the edge of the bed angrily.

"Maybe we gave them something to think about anyway," Erza sighed.

"Juvia's restaurant is destroyed. And they got the employee file…they took the whole thing," Gray murmured, "Which means that they're going to know where we live. And every other employee of 8-Island… Juvia included."

Erza nodded. Things had just gotten more dangerous. A lot more dangerous.

* * *

Lucy grabbed one of Natsu's hands, encouraging him to touch her. He kneaded her left breast lightly, the other hand grabbing her ass. They were locked in a heated, electric kiss.

His eyes opened wide. Had he made a mistake? He shouldn't be touching her like that! It was like he was drinking her in. What if she didn't want it?

But she had her eyes closed, letting out a lustful groan. He was doing _something_ right.

"Luce…" he said again. His eyes were full of questions. He wasn't sure what she was doing as she put pressure on his body to lay back on the bed.

"I want to try something new," she said softly, "I don't think you're ready to sleep with me, although I hope you will be soon."

"I don't know what that means," the desperation made his voice crack. Emotions flooded through him. Love. Absolute love for the immaculate woman in front of him. Lust. He wanted her, but he didn't quite understand _what he wanted with her_. Fear. He had no clue what to do. Whatever was happening was all new territory. He wanted it, but he didn't understand it.

She fumbled with the button at the top of his zipper, then gently pulled the zipper down. Kneeling beside the bed, she worked at his jeans. When they were in a pile at his feet, she stood back up and slid her body alongside his, claiming his lips again. He clung to her, absorbed by the combination of heat and electricity. He was breathing heavily, unclear what he wanted, but knowing he wanted it very badly. One of her hands made their way down his chest, cupping his most private part.

He gasped, his entire body twitching as she rubbed against him. The whirlwind of emotions he felt drove him wild. He wanted to devour her, but he was rendered completely helpless as she touched him.

"Luce…what's happening to me?"

She sucked on his tongue, then started kissing down his torso. Reaching inside his boxers, she started to stroke him, slowly at first. He cried out.

She moved back to the floor, slowly removing his boxers at the same time. Her own breathing was rapid as she kissed his thighs, stroking him a bit faster. She flicked her tongue at the base of his penis.

"Luce!" he cried out. That was all it took. He felt a surge forcefully exit his body, throwing him into a completely blissful release.

* * *

Dan and Samuel found a place outside of town in the forest to sleep for the night. Samuel took the back seat, Dan stretching out in the front.

"Who in the hell was that guy?" Samuel said to the roof of the car. It was decidedly uncomfortable. The seatbelts jabbed into his side, "And how did he know we'd be there?"

"Still think it was a ghost," Dan muttered. He wasn't comfortable either. The centre console didn't make for a good back rest. He sat up in the passenger seat, reclining the seat as far back as it would go. Samuel's feet were horribly close to his nose and he quickly sat back up, "And did you see the second one appear behind him? It was a woman. A very beautiful woman. Not as beautiful as my Lulu, but beautiful nonetheless."

"There's no such thing as ghosts, you moron," Samuel mumbled, " And no, I didn't see her. There's got to be another explanation. Maybe he had some sort of invisibility cloak or something."

Dan scoffed, "There's no such thing as ghosts, but an invisibility cloak would account for it," he shook his head, "Because invisibility cloaks are _plentiful_."

"Shut up, asshole."

"We screwed up this time," Dan sighed, "There's no way we can keep staying in Magnolia. The cops are going to be all over us."

Samuel didn't answer at first. Suddenly, he sat up, "But we have the entire employee file from 8-Island. I say we didn't screw up... I say we gained an edge. What Lucy needs is _motivation_ to come out of hiding. And we have a file _full_ of motivation...right here."

* * *

Lucy rose from the floor, once again laying beside Natsu as he fought to catch his breath. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to his chest.

"What just happened?" he asked between pants.

"You...had an orgasm," she said softly, her cheeks rosy with embarrassment.

He couldn't even answer for a few minutes as his body calmed down.

"That…was…the single most amazing moment of my life," he said finally, "Apart from our first kiss."

She giggled, "Wait until we sleep together."

He glanced at her, joining her laughter, "There's that term again! You might have been right. Maybe I'm not ready. I barely survived that!"

They laid still for a few more minutes.

"Luce?"

"Hmmm."

"How do I make you feel like that?" he asked.

He didn't wait for an answer. He rolled over on top of her, kissing her as deeply as he could. Without warning, he moved her lingerie top aside so he could take her breast in his mouth, lightly sucking the pink bud. She let out a sultrous groan that only electrified his intensity.

She knew he wouldn't know what to do from there. They'd been this far before, but never further. They'd never touched each other's nether regions. She guided his hand south, showing him how to rub small, gentle circles on her clit.

"Ohhh," she moaned, "Like that, Natsu!"

He kissed her breasts all over, occasionally returning to her neck and lips as he stroked her.

"Can I…take this off?" he asked gently, nodding to her underwear.

She nodded.

He removed her underwear slowly, frustrated that he couldn't do it with one hand. He glanced at the area between her legs curiously. Slowly, he lowered his head, licking her slit. She let out a sigh, so he guessed that she was okay with it. With both hands free, he could remove the rest of her underwear.

She seemed to like the licking even more than the stroking, so he didn't stop. She tasted salty and her hips began to move with his tongue.

"Don't stop!" she ordered as he came up for air. He dove back in, rubbing her legs and inner thighs up and down.

A moment later, her whole body shuddered and she cried out, much like he had.

"Luce?"

She was panting heavily, her face flustered. He wasn't sure if he'd ever seen something so sexy…and he _always_ thought she was sexy!

"Did I do it right?" he asked.

She grabbed his hair, pulling him upward and smashed her lips into his, her arms locked behind his back, forcing him as close as she could get him. He felt himself hardening again as he fell backward onto the bed.

* * *

Gray and Erza were both lying on the bed now, discussing everything that had happened between Magnolia and Crocus. They were both still in a state of shock at their newest revelation...Angels in _transparency_ could be seen by infrared vision.

"Erza," Gray said finally, "About Crime Sorciere..."

She glanced at him, "Yeah - I wanted to ask about their abilities. You said they're different from ours?"

"Yeah," Gray explained Mulligan Angels to her, then Wendy as a Changeover Angel, although he was the first to admit he didn't know all of her abilities. He paused, deciding now was as good a time as any to tell her, "There's one more thing you should know, Erza...the Crime Sorciere leader..."

She waited. He went silent, choosing his words carefully.

"I knew I recognized him and I couldn't put my finger on it," he continued, "And it dawned on me when I talking to Happy."

"You were talking to Happy?" she giggled, "I've done that. He's quite the cat."

He went quiet again.

"Gray?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow," he chickened out, "Let's get some sleep."

Both of them laid awake in the bed. She didn't press the matter, but Erza's instincts told her whatever he was going to tell her was a major.

* * *

Lucy and Natsu's make out session was different than anything he'd experienced before. She was _hungry_ as she ran her hands all over his body. He responded with as much passion as she did, getting completely lost in her eagerness. She cupped him again, then ground her body against him. He felt a surge of lust run through him.

"Luce…" he stopped kissing her, pushing her back slightly. They were both panting from the intensity of the moment, "We're going too fast."

She stopped immediately, backing away with an embarrassed look on her face, "I'm sorry, Natsu. I just got excited."

She went to roll out from underneath of him, but he caged her with both arms.

"I want to do more," he said, his voice so low she could barely hear him, "I need you to show me how. But let's go slower. I want to enjoy this with you. Teach me how to sleep with you. Show me how to love you."

Her body stilled underneath of him as she contemplated whether he was ready for the final step. Her adrenaline still coursed through her body. She wanted him. She glanced at him, wondering if it was okay to have a night filled with passion if he wasn't ready for it. He was still so innocent. She ran her fingers through his hair, realizing that his face was not lust-filled. It was full of love. He wanted to make love to her. _That_ was what made the decision for her.

She pulled him into a kiss, slow and sensual this time, running her hands up and down his back. They kissed for several minutes, enjoying the skin on skin contact. He explored her body with his hands, allowing her to do the same. Finally, her hand reached back down to his erection.

She spread her legs, maintaining eyes contact with him as she placed the tip at her entrance. They both groaned at the contact.

Natsu knew instinctively what to do now as she guided him inside of her, a little at a time. He thrust, lightly at first. She moved against him in a rhythm, bringing him in slowly. All of the strange feelings he'd ever experienced paled in comparison to what he felt now. He bent his head to kiss her as he thrust inside her fully, both of them crying out at his first deep stroke. He knew that phenomenal build up was coming again. He wouldn't last very long. But he was connected with the woman he loved. And it was bliss.

She cried out, meeting his movements. He started thrusting faster at her lead, maintaining the searing kiss. Her nails scratched down his back as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him as close as he could get.

"Luce..." he gasped.

He didn't need to uphold himself for long. She had reached orgasm for the second time, her body convulsing. Her orgasm spurred his. Completely spent, he collapsed on top of her. She stroked his hair out of face as he withdrew, allowing him to fall onto his back. She rolled over onto his side, melding into his protective embrace.

Natsu couldn't talk. He was wide-eyed again. His mind spun.

"Natsu," she propped herself up on one elbow, taking in the expression on his face, "I really, really love you."

He brought her down for another sensual kiss, "I love you too, Luce. I can't even…find words."

"You don't need words," she said softly, stroking his hair, "I can see what you're saying from the look in your eyes."

They kissed lazily for quite awhile before finally falling asleep in each other's arms. Natsu had never been so content in his entire existence. He didn't care if his love for Lucy was forbidden. He wasn't sorry and he wouldn't give her up. Makarov had wanted him to find his place. Natsu knew where it was…he had known for some time now... it was in the arms of the only person who had ever loved him. In the arms of Lucy Heartfilia.

 _ **Dear NaLu fans...**_

 ** _I don't usually write lemons, so hopefully it was okay_** ** _and came across as the heartfelt_**

 ** _and sensual experience it was meant to be._**


	45. Chapter 45

**_WE'RE GETTING TO SOME SERIOUS ACTION NOW!_**

 ** _FOR THOSE THAT HAD QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER INFRARED COULD DETECT ANGELS, I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH JUST FOR FUN._**

 ** _GHOSTHUNTERS REGULARLY USE INFRARED CAMERAS AND LIGHTING TO DETECT GHOSTS...AND YES - ANGELS._**

 ** _IS IT VALID? I'M NOT SURE. I'VE NEVER SEEN A GHOST OR AN ANGEL..._**

 ** _NOW THAT SCIENCE CLASS IS DISMISSED, LET'S MOVE ON WITH THE STORY :D_**

* * *

Gajeel and Levy pulled into town as the sun was starting to come up. She was curled up in the passenger seat, fast asleep.

He slapped his own cheek. He was staring at her again. It was like she entranced him. He needed to concentrate on the road.

He couldn't help stare at her. She was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. She was the whole package: funny, sweet, eager to please and yet she didn't take anything from anyone. It amazed him that Dan and Samuel could terrify her. She wasn't easily shaken.

He pulled up to his house and rounded the backside of the truck, ensuring that everything was secure.

"We've got it," Erik assured him, appearing out of nowhere, "We'll unpack the truck."

"Don't do that, you ugly bastard. Warn a guy before you do the appearing thing, wouldja?"

Erik noogied him on the head playfully before taking the key Gajeel offered to start unloading the truck. Minerva and Wendy appeared to help.

"Take care of your little girlfriend," Minerva said, motioning to the cab of the truck.

Gajeel nodded, "Everything can go in the garage for now. I need some sleep and then I'll see about how I can cloak everything."

"Leave that to us," Wendy said, winking at him, "Go get some sleep."

He opened the passenger door, once again struck by how tiny Levy actually was. He undid her seatbelt and gently reached behind her back and under her knees, lifting her into his arms. She curled into his body, sighing deeply, but she didn't wake up.

He walked up the front walk, Wendy running ahead to open the door for him. As she didn't have the key, she simply transported inside and unlocked it from there.

"Thanks Wen," he said softly.

The garage was now open as well. Crime Sorciere was always very effective at their tasks.

He went straight to his bedroom, pulling back the covers with one hand and gently lowering Levy into it. She clung on to his neck lightly, so he wasn't completely sure if he'd woken her up or if she was holding onto him in her sleep.

"Let go, Shrimp. It's time to have a good sleep. We're back in Magnolia now."

"Where are you going?" she protested.

So she was awake. Her eyes were still shut. She had locked her hands behind his neck.

"To sleep on the couch," he told her gently, "You take the bed and I'll see you when we've both slept."

She refused to let his neck go, "Sleep here too."

He paused, studying her pretty face. Her blue hair was messy and all over the place. Her make up, a day old now, was smeared all over her face. She was _beautiful_.

"Okay," he said finally, "but you have to let me go long enough to get comfortable."

She shuffled over to the far side of the king-sized bed as he stripped to his boxers, then shimmied under the covers with her. She rolled over, snuggling into his chest.

"Good night, Gajeel," she whispered.

 _It's daytime now_ , he thought about replying…but he didn't suppose it actually mattered. They were both incredibly comfortable now. He closed his eyes, happy to be home, but even happier about the girl in his arms.

* * *

Juvia had tears streaming down her face as she watched firefighters hit hot spots of what was left of her restaurant. It had burned to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Juvia," Sting said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened?" Loke asked, running up to them.

The street was cordoned off. There were lots of onlookers behind the line, all gawking at what was left of 8-Island. Loke and the other employees of 8-Island had been allowed through, having contacted each other by cell phone when they heard what had happened.

Lisanna hugged Juvia close, allowing her to break down on her shoulder.

"Arson?" Mest asked.

Sting nodded. Rogue came up beside them, Laki behind him.

"It's all gone," Juvia whispered. Her face was white and her body was shaking.

"Juvia," Rogue said gently, "I don't think we have to tell you who we suspect did this."

Juvia didn't answer. Her lip was quivering.

"Sir!" Jet ran up to Sting, handing him a cell phone in a plastic bag, "We just found this. It was the cell used to make the 911 call."

Sting nodded, handing the evidence back to Jet to take back to the station.

"Guess we're not opening today," Juvia said, finally finding her voice. She choked toward the end of her sentence.

Virgo hugged Juvia tightly, "When we _do_ reopen, it will be better than ever."

Juvia was not consoled by the remark. It wasn't just the fact that her business was gone…it was the fact that the legacy passed on to her by Warrod Sequen was gone. She owed so much to him. It was more than a business to her. The opportunity to make her business thrive kept her on the straight and narrow after Gray had died. It would have been easy to spiral into a depressed stupor, but Warrod had saved her. He gave her something that gave her purpose. It defined Juvia and who she was today.

* * *

Laki had joined the crowd to watch the firefighters work on the 8-Island fire too. A chill swept through her. She was certain based on some things Rogue had said that the men who had threatened her weren't gone.

She wondered if they had anything to do with this.

She turned on her heel and headed for Rogue's house. She was very thankful to be staying there. He kept her feeling safe, even though he had to work a lot. Tonight, she would make him dinner again as a thank you.

She was almost back to the house when she felt all the hairs on her head stand on end. She looked behind her, not seeing anything, then hurried to get inside Rogue's house. She would be safe there.

As the door shut behind her, the black Dodge Dart continued past the house, then pulled around and stopped in front of it.

* * *

Gray woke up slowly. Sometime during the night, he'd fallen asleep beside Erza. He checked the scratches on her head, satisfied that they were healed up completely. He was shocked that she could even get injuries. As an Angel, it shouldn't have happened.

Plue and Happy were curled up on the floor together. Happy mewed when he saw Gray sit up on the bed.

"Morning boys," Gray said, glancing at the clock. It was closer to noon.

He lumbered out into the living room, trying to wrap his head around what happened the night before. Samuel and Dan had been able to see him with the infrared glasses.

Putting on his shoes, he called Plue to him. By the time he got back from taking him out, Erza was seated on the couch.

"What time does Natsu and Lucy's plane get in?" she asked.

"About 3:00," he said, "Gajeel was going to pick them up."

"I think we should go too," Erza put her head in her hands, "We've got to find another place for us to live. Dan and Samuel have this address."

Gray nodded, "Not only that, but we need to find out where the employees of 8-Island live too. How can we get that message across to police?"

"An anonymous call will be a start," Erza sighed, "I'll get dressed and work on finding a phone to use."

"We've gotta get cell phones," Gray muttered under his breath.

"Good idea," Erza agreed, "You get a cell phone and I'll work on getting a call into police."

He nodded. What he really wanted to do was go to Juvia. He knew she'd be informed about the demolishment of her restaurant now. He was really worried about her since he knew how hard she'd worked to build that business with her own two hands. Dan and Samuel would also be looking for revenge, so he didn't want her alone. He'd get a cell phone first, but he promised himself he'd catch up to her the first chance he got.

* * *

Natsu opened his eyes slowly, aware of the fact that he'd never been so comfortable or relaxed in his existence.

He kissed the top of Lucy's head, suddenly aware of her naked body wrapped around his.

"Good morning," she said softly, "How are you feeling today?"

His face lit up with a grin, "Like the luckiest man in Earthland. How are you?"

She kissed him longingly, "Like the luckiest woman in Earthland."

"What time is it?" he asked. He glanced at the alarm clock on the night table beside them, suddenly sitting up straight, "Shit! Luce! We slept in! It's almost noon! Checkout was at 11:00!"

She pulled him back down, "We already have to pay another day for the room. Let's lie here for another ½ hour then go for a shower. We don't have to leave for the airport for another hour."

The skin on skin contact was alluring to Natsu. As cradled her, he thought about not going back to Magnolia. Maybe they _should_ run. He didn't want to tell her about Dan. He wanted to tell her he was an Angel, but he didn't want to face Heaven if they were going to separate him from Lucy. If they ran, they could avoid it all.

No. They had to go home. As much as he loved having Lucy all to himself, running would not solve anything. Levy would still be in harm's way. Eventually, Dan would find them. And how do you hide from Heaven anyway? The camaraderie he felt with Gray, Erza, Levy, and even Gajeel meant something to Natsu. For the first time in his existence, he felt accepted. They even listened to him when he had ideas sometimes. He would not abandon them. The only missing piece in his existence was having Lucy know everything. They _had_ to go back to Magnolia…and he _had_ to tell her about Dan. There was no other way. And it would be better done in private than on the plane.

He kissed her deeply, feeling the heat pass through his body again. He wondered if it was appropriate to ask her to sleep with him again...even though they'd just woken up.

She seemed to have the same idea. She was kissing his neck, trying to entice him into another intimate moment. He was tempted to put it off _just a little bit longer_ and give in to her.

He couldn't. It needed to be done.

"Luce," he whispered, "As much as I want to sleep with you again, we need to talk."

She reached her hand down, stroking him gently, "Right now?"

He stilled her hand, although it pained him immensely. The seriousness in his eyes made her sit up.

"Right now," he confirmed.

She cocked her head, trying to read his face. She'd never seen him so serious.

"I have to tell you something. It's not going to be easy for you to hear."

She furrowed her eyebrows, but said nothing.

"Before I start, I need to know that nothing could change my feelings for you. I love you. What we did last night only solidified our bond," he took her hand, stroking it gently, "And I want to do that again every day for the rest of time."

She shook her head, "I don't understand, Natsu."

He took a deep breath, trying to determine a good place to start.

"Gajeel was never on probation," he said, looking deep into her eyes. It wasn't easy with her being completely naked. To try to help focus his thoughts, he wrapped the sheet around her torso and placed a pillow on his lap. There would be time for lovemaking later. Or least he hoped there would be.

She was looking very confused, shaking her head slowly.

"Gajeel is a cop," Natsu said quietly, "And he's been working with Erza, Gray, Levy and I."

"Are you a cop?" she asked slowly.

He shook his head, "I'll get to that. What you need to know is that there was another reason behind our Crocus trip."

She backed up slightly, "Natsu…"

He edged toward her, "Gajeel is helping us investigate the gold bars. We're also tracking Dan and Samuel...to keep you and Levy safe."

Anger and confusion crossed her face. She stood up, bunching her fists, yet keeping the sheet in place.

"Lucy…please listen to me. Please give me a chance to explain."

"We're in Crocus so that you guys can play detective? Tell me you didn't go to the storage unit."

He nodded, "We did. And you'd be shocked at what we found."

She scrunched one hand through her hair, walking back and forth for a minute.

Natsu was starting to panic. She looked so _angry._

"Please Luce…just give me a chance to explain. We're trying to protect you."

"Pro _tect_ me?" Lucy yelled, "Did I _ask_ you to protect me? How DARE you!? I told you those things because we were getting closer – not because I wanted you to _protect_ me!"

"But Luce, I didn't tell them! It's a mission! We're supposed to help you solve the problems in your life so you can be happy!"

She stared at him dead in the eye, "You're not making any sense!"

Natsu gulped. The anger in her eyes scared him.

She was stomping around the room now, grabbing her belongings and shoving them into her suitcase while getting dressed simultaneously, "Know what? It doesn't matter."

" _JUST LISTEN TO ME!"_ Natsu half-yelled, desperation squeaking out as he began to follow her around the room, "Luce, the gold bars have secrets in them. We know a lot of the history now! We want to use it to put Dan and Samuel away forever so that you can live your life in peace! With me!"

She turned, the anger in her eyes like daggers. He found himself cowering until she turned to zip up her suitcase.

"Why are you so angry?" he demanded, "We're trying to _help you!"_

This time when Lucy turned, it wasn't the anger in her eyes that stopped him in his tracks. It was the tears. She stifled a sob.

"Because I trusted you, Natsu. I don't trust people. There's a reason I don't have any friends other than Levy. Because formed relationships always break," she was talking in her regular voice, not yelling. For some reason, Natsu found this almost more intimidating than the yelling, "I let myself fall in love with you, thinking you might be the only person in Earthland who might be straight up with me. You think I don't know Levy is keeping secrets? I'm not stupid, Natsu. I've known for years she's some kind of bodyguard."

She glanced around the room. Since she'd only brought her things in yesterday, there wasn't a lot to pack. She had managed to get herself dressed too.

"But you…I believed in you. I let my defenses down for you because I thought…" she paused, wiping the first of her tears away, "I thought maybe you could love me with no strings attached. Remember that conversation, Natsu? Well, it turns out you have another motivation for being close to me too."

He felt the tears running down his own face. She was so _hurt_.

"Luce…I'm sorry. I swear to you…I love you so much."

She walked her suitcase toward the door, turning with her hand on the knob, "And I love you…but your love wasn't strong enough for you to be honest with me."

"Please Luce!" he begged, "Please let me finish explaining."

Her gaze was downcast. She couldn't even look at him, "I need time, Natsu. Just leave me alone for now, okay?"

She walked out the door. The door closed with a loud click.

Natsu was stunned. He stared blankly at the closed door for several minutes. He had really messed up this time.

 _Angel of Oops strikes again._

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Natsu glanced around the room. He didn't have anything there he couldn't replace. That was upside of not owning anything. He walked in solid form out to the lobby, dropping some of the winnings from last night to cover the extra day of hotel expenses, then hurried to the nearest unobserved shadow. He flitted toward the airport, suspecting she'd show up there to go back to Magnolia.

* * *

"Sting!" Jet was barreling through the police station, looking for his friend and superior officer, "Where the hell is he?!"

A female police office pointed to where Sting and Rogue sat in Sting's office.

Jet raced in, passing a phone directly to Sting. Sting looked up, confused.

"It's an anonymous call," Jet said hurriedly, "They said they have information on the fire last night and that they'd only talk to you!"

Sting took the phone, waiting until Jet had exited the office and Rogue had shut the door.

"Sergeant Sting Eucliffe here," Sting said into the phone, putting it on speaker so that Rogue could hear too.

The voice was muffled…indistinguishable between male or female.

" _The fire last night was arson."_

"Yes, I know that," Sting said, "Who is this?"

" _Someone who doesn't want a lot of people to die,"_ the voice said, " _Listen carefully. The men you're looking for…Samuel Zentopia and Dan Straight…they took something from 8-Island that's going to endanger everyone who worked there. They took the employee files. They have all their addresses."_

Sting motioned to Rogue to get a recording device. Rogue scrambled to the desk, grabbing one from the drawer. He pressed 'Record'. Sting wrote down the name 'Dan Straight'.

" _You need to protect the employees,"_ the voice said, " _Dan and Samuel are getting desperate. They're backed into a corner. And as you know, they are not afraid to use violence to get what they want."_

"Are you the same person who made the other anonymous call?" Sting asked.

" _It doesn't matter who I am. Please get them to a safe place as soon as possible. The girl from the library too. I'll be watching and I'll call in as many tips as I can."_

Sting heard a click and the call went dead.

They wasted no time. Sting threw open the door to his office and began yelling orders, "Jet! Droy! Get to Virgo Keys and Lisanna Strauss's apartment ASAP and bring them to the station! Bixslow and Alzack! You go get Cana Alberona, Mest Gryder, and Kinana Cubellios! Rogue, you need to get Laki, Juvia Lockser and Loke Mane! Everyone gets back to the station ASAP. Go!"

People were scrabbling to do as they were bid, looking for addresses in the computer. Sting was headed for the research computer. He needed to do a search on Dan Straight.

* * *

Samuel was on the phone again. Last night had been the last straw. Levy and Lucy were not alone anymore. Therefore, Samuel and Dan needed reinforcements too.

"Remember what we discussed when I saw you last? Can you send us some help? It's time."

Dan watched Samuel's face as he paced the room, telling the person on the other end of the call who he wanted as back up. Jose Porla's mafia crew, Phantom Lord, had for the most part disbanded, but there were a few key players that were still around. The ones he couldn't find from the remnants of Phantom Lord could be replaced with their affiliate gang members, Tartaros.

Dan looked down at his phone, wondering if he should be calling for help too. He was about to be sorely outnumbered. Samuel hated him and would kill him on the spot the second he had the information he wanted.

"Okay - I appreciate it," Samuel was saying, "We'll get the gold bars and then we're coming for you. Very soon, you'll be breathing fresh air with the rest of us, back on the throne of the revived Phantom Lord."

Samuel paused for a moment, furrowing his brow in frustration, "Yes. I'm aware that was incredibly cheesy. Do want out of jail or not?"

Dan rolled his eyes and continued to stare out the cabin window. Tomorrow Samuel's recruits would arrive. And then the real fun would begin.

* * *

Erik came to the top of the hill, waving as he approached the two people already standing there.

"I thought you said you weren't coming here," Erik said as he hung up the phone from his call to Sting, "You saved the lives of the very people you're trying to avoid."

"Minerva is the one with excess strength," Jellal corrected, "I was just 'there'."

Minerva gave him a sideways glance. Jellal had been lifting the beam too and she wasn't sure _she_ could have gotten the beam off Erza without him. He was selling himself short, as always.

They were standing on top of a hill, watching the scene below. Fire fighters were doing clean up now. Juvia and the other employees had gone home. The police still kept the block shut down to keep curious onlookers from getting too close.

Jellal sighed, "I think our friends are in a lot more trouble than they realize. Crime Sorciere is going to be needed sooner than later."

"You mean someone is going to die?" Minerva asked.

He nodded, "In all likelihood, several somebodies."

* * *

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	46. Chapter 46

Lucy was sitting at the airport, her nose buried in a book so that no one would see her tears.

She knew she had lashed out hastily and she was already beginning to regret leaving Natsu behind at the hotel. She glanced at the clock on the wall. He would show up for the flight, right?

She loved him. She knew she loved him. More than anything or anyone she'd ever loved. Maybe that was part of why she'd freaked out so badly on him. She had been waiting for the betrayal. She was beginning to believe that Natsu wouldn't...that he was the real deal and that he'd never hurt her. Even now, she knew he hadn't meant to hurt her. The look in his eyes was that of pure love. She didn't honestly believe he had other motives.

She sighed heavily, thinking about all they'd been through together. He made her smile again. He'd brought a part of Lucy that she had forgotten existed…the Lucy who knew how to laugh...the Lucy that trusted and wanted to be loved and love in return. She hadn't felt like that since her mother died.

She watched the airplane taxi in to its' unloading spot. The plane would be empty soon and then it would be time to board. Natsu wasn't there yet. She glanced over her shoulder at the people still coming through. He hadn't been through security.

Sniffing back another sob, she thought about changing her destination. If they'd all betrayed her, then maybe she should run on her own. Levy was mentioned in that group of names by Natsu. Maybe it was time to cut her loose. Dan and Samuel wouldn't have an interest in her if Lucy left her side. Levy had been a loyal friend...she deserved better.

An object came over her shoulder, landing on her book neatly between the pages. She glanced at it. It was a gold necklace with Angel wings pendant on it. Lucy had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

She turned, glancing up to see Natsu standing behind her. He came around the seat and sat down next to her, unclasping the pretty necklace to put it around her neck.

"The snow globe you got me," he said quietly, "You told me it reminded you of me. The dragon and the Angel. And you're right. That's exactly what I am. I passed this on my way here and I thought it would go perfectly with the snow globe. Where you see me as the Angel/Dragon, I see you as my wings."

He finished clasping the necklace around her neck, pausing to place his hand on her cheek lovingly.

"You've changed me, Lucy. You look past all my faults and my stupidity. You are the only person who has ever told me you love me and meant it. I can do anything with you. I want to be the best I can be _for_ you. After all, an Angel can't fly without its' wings."

There were tears in both of their eyes as he made eye contact with her, holding her gaze.

"I'm sorry I wasn't totally honest with you," he said in a low voice, "But please believe me when I say that nobody was trying to hurt you. Least of all me."

"Will you tell me the truth then?" Lucy asked softly, thumbing the Angel wings lightly.

He nodded, "The entire truth. It's going to sound crazy, but if you're willing to listen, I hope you'll believe me when I say it was all for you. All of us love you. But me most of all. I love you so much that I would defy Heaven to be with you."

She looked straight into his eyes, seeing the truth of his words.

"Dan and Samuel are in Magnolia," Natsu said, "And the rest of us are trying desperately to get what we need to put them away so that you and Levy can be free. That's the long and short of the explanation. I'm sorry we went behind your back."

She nodded. That thought had crossed her mind that they'd been found again. She couldn't think of any other reason why Levy would do things behind her back. Or Natsu. Both of them would do anything to protect her.

"Did you think I wouldn't help?" she asked slowly, the pain in her voice still prominent, "If someone had approached me and told me that, I might have reacted differently."

"I promise I will handle things differently from now on," Natsu asked, taking her hand and lacing their fingers, "We have a good opportunity to end this for you once and for all. And you're not facing Dan and Samuel alone anymore. You have friends who love you and will protect you with their lives. Will you trust me?"

He put his forehead down on hers, resting it there.

Her fingers still played with the gold Angel wings. She loved the necklace…and she realized he'd probably spent the last of his winnings on it as a make up present.

"I'll trust you," she said softly, skimming her lips across his.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she kissed him full-on this time.

"There's a lot more details to tell you," he said softly, "Starting with mine. This is the crazy part that you might have trouble accepting. I'll need you to listen without interruption."

The boarding call sounded overtop of the PA system.

She nodded, "Tell me on the plane."

As they stood up, Natsu pulled her into a deep hug. She hugged him back, the last of her anger dispelling. He took her suitcase and her hand, heading for the line up that would take them back to Magnolia.

She noticed that the song in the background playing on the overheard speakers was Sarah McLachlan's ' _In the Arms of an Angel.'_ She had no idea why that stuck out in her head…she never paid attention to overhead music.

* * *

Lisanna swung the garbage bag back and forth as she made her way out to the bin. She paused, shooting it like a basketball, chucking it in from about 20 yards away with a loud "YES!" when it landed inside. She didn't feel the arm slinking around her neck until she saw the cloth in front of her eyes. It covered her mouth. She struggled to breathe and she kicked out, trying to get away from her attacker. But he was too strong. She felt her strength leaving her body as everything started to get cloudy.

She saw Virgo coming out of the apartment doors. She dropped her bag and screamed as another figure went toward her.

The world went dark.

* * *

Jellal, Erik, Minerva, and Wendy were following Erza and Gray as they hurried through town. They needed a good moment to reveal themselves. It was time to get _everyone_ together for a meeting.

Erza and Gray had secured a burner phone and were now in the process of renting a different apartment...one with at least 4 bedrooms so Erza, Natsu and Gray could move in too. Levy and Lucy would be better protected if they could all be in the same place.

"We should get a house," Gray said as Erza glanced through the paper, "If we can get a 4 or 5 bedroom, that would be optimal. And we have to be allowed to have a cat and a dog."

"First things first," Erza said. She glanced around the park, seeing that it was empty, and dialed the police department.

Gray listened in as she reported what actually happened last night at 8-Island, warning the police to look out for the employees and that Dan and Samuel were not finished with their reign of terror.

"Thank you for calling," the woman on the other end said, "We'll take care of it."

"They didn't seem surprised," Erza said, furrowing her eyebrows, "It's almost like they already knew."

Gray shrugged, "Odd. I hope they'll take it seriously. I want to get to Juvia as soon as possible, but we have to secure a safe place for Lucy and Levy first."

"This one," Erza pointed to an ad for a house on the other side of town, "5 bedrooms, fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer. 2 pets allowed on approval."

"Perfect!" Gray passed her the burner phone so she could dial the number.

* * *

Jellal was staring at Erza, pain etched on his face.

"It will be okay, Jellal. Erza will be surprised at first, but she's got a good head on her shoulders. She'll handle it well," Wendy promised.

Jellal nodded slowly, "She's grown up so beautifully."

He turned to the other two.

"Erik, please follow Gray and Erza and _compel_ the landlord to accept their application. Minerva, you and I need to go see if Gajeel is awake yet. We need his help orchestrating a mass meeting. Wendy -"

He place his hand on the little girl's shoulder affectionately, smiling brightly at her. Everyone adored Wendy. She was coming up to her 16th birthday but had the absolute innocence of a child, much like Natsu when Jellal thought about it.

"I'd like you to go to the airport to see Natsu and Lucy off at the plane. Stake out the airport in case they get off the airplane early or something. Can you do that?"

She nodded, rewarding him with a grin, "Okay Jellal."

"Everyone keeps their eyes open for Samuel and Dan. They're out there and they're gonna be ticked. I'll be in touch with the details of the upcoming meeting as soon as possible."

Crime Sorciere bumped fists, then broke apart to get to their assignments.

Jellal glanced back at Erza, who was smiling triumphantly as she announced that they had an appointment in 30 minutes to see the new house. Her smile was immaculate, but then Erza always had been perfection.

"I'm so sorry, Erza. I hope you'll forgive me."

Turning back to Minerva, he began walking.

"You know she won't even realize what we did," Minerva said in a monotone voice.

"No," Jellal said, "but _I_ know. She would be disappointed. In both of us."

"What's done is done," Minerva reminded him, "We've both paid our debt. Wendy is right. She'd see what we are now."

Jellal didn't answer her, walking ahead.

She fell into step with him and in a flash of light, they _transported_ to Gajeel's house.

* * *

Juvia flipped through her photo album, running her fingers along pictures of Gray and herself. She came across a picture where they were sitting on either side of Warrod Sequen.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Sequen," she murmured.

She flipped to answer page. She and Gray were engrossed in a deep, passionate kiss.

"I wish you knew how much I loved you," she said to the picture, "That moment you found Lyon and I...I wanted to die. I'm so sorry, Gray."

"That's a very touching sentiment," a voice said behind her.

Juvia whirled around, eyes widening in terror as she noticed a tall man with sandy hair and large ears. He slapped a crowbar into his hand.

"Now, now...don't be nervous, Love. Names's Jackal. You do as I say and I promise I won't hurtcha. Can't say the same for Dan and Samuel though," Jackal grinned wickedly, approaching her on her couch.

Juvia screamed, throwing her hot coffee in his face as she tried to get to the door. Jackal screamed in pain, dropping the crowbar before wiping the substance off of his face before jumping on top of Juvia. He forced her to the ground. She punched at him, kicking him in the stomach, then flipped to crawl toward the door. He grabbed her ankle and forcefully crawled up her body. His entire weight kept her to the floor.

"I said I wouldn't hurtcha as long as you did what I say," Jackal hissed into her ear. He reached a hand underneath of her body to grasp her breast, "You are a very lovely girl, Juvia Lockser. I've half a mind not to turn you in to Dan and Samuel...maybe keep you for myself."

He licked her neck and she screamed again, throwing her head backward into his nose. She did it a second time, hearing the crunch as she broke it.

"BITCH!" he screamed, sitting up on her back, his hands flying to his nose. It was gushing blood, getting all over Juvia and the floor, "You'll pay for that!"

He slammed her head into the wood floor, then again when she still fought back. He proceeded to repeat the violent gesture multiple times until she'd passed out. Her face was a bloody, swollen mess, but she was guaranteed not to fight back at least for a little while. He swung her over his shoulder and disappeared out the back door.

* * *

Gray and Erza went back at the old apartment with some boxes.

"Take only what's important," Erza instructed, "I'll start next door since they have more things."

Gray started in the living room, packing the Wii U. Happy and Plue were wandering back and forth, looking at Gray inquisitively.

"Don't worry - you're both coming," Gray told them, "Natsu and Lucy wouldn't be happy with me if I forgot about you. You'll probably see the place before they do."

He wandered into the bedrooms, taking personal items and placing them in the boxes, pausing as he came across the snow globe. He shook it, watching the stars and glitter swirl around the Angel and the dragon. Being that that was Natsu's sole possession, he placed it into the box and grabbed Plue's leash. He wasn't sure how to transport the cat yet. He found a small box and poked holes into it.

Erza came back with 2 boxes, "We need to see if we can Gajeel to use his car to transport everything. I don't like the idea of walking back and forth too much. Even we have to stay out of sight now. Not that infrared glasses will work during the day."

Gray nodded, "Let's go then. It's almost time to pick up Natsu and Lucy anyway. Maybe you can go to the airport and transport the boxes and I can go check on Juvia?"

She nodded back and they both flitted into the shadows.

Happy rubbed up against Plue's feet as Plue stared at the place the people had just disappeared from. Their humans were weird and not normal humans. Well, most of them anyway. But they were _their_ humans.

* * *

Gajeel and Levy woke up in each other's arms. He kissed her forehead.

"Do you know," he said in teasing tone, "this is the _second_ time I've slept with you...and I still haven't had a proper kiss?"

She slapped his arm playfully, getting out of the bed as there was a knock at the front door.

He rolled out of bed, passing her to get to the door.

"Gray," he greeted, "Erza."

"We need to talk," Gray said.

"How did you know where Gajeel lives?" Levy asked.

"I was here once," Gray said.

Levy and Gajeel exchanged glances. When?

They sat down in the kitchen where Gray and Erza started catching them up on everything Erza had been through in the past several days, ending with what happened last night. Both Levy and Gajeel were shocked and wide eyes by the time they finished.

"Shit," Gajeel lamented, "We've gotta go make sure the employees were all rounded up..."

Levy nodded, "And you'd better check in to work too."

"I'm going to Juvia's," Gray said, "I need to know she's been picked up and is okay."

The others nodded.

"Here's the address of the new place," Erza said, dropping a key on the table, "Perhaps when you pick up the boxes, you could also take the furniture you used to hide our cargo for the new house. The house is unfurnished."

There was a knock at the door. Gajeel stood up.

"Stay there for a minute. I'll get the door."

He opened it slowly, then let out a deep breath and he realized it was Minerva and Jellal.

"We need to talk," Jellal said, "Erik! You might as well come out!"

Erik became solid, following Gajeel.

"Good timing," Gajeel replied, leading them to the kitchen, "Almost our whole crew is here. We can all get on the same page. Thought you weren't coming on this mission," he teased.

"Things have escalated," Minerva said humourlessly.

Jellal and Minerva entered the room, catching his first glance of Gray and Erza in solid form. Erza looked up, her face draining of colour as she realized who was face to face with.

Jellal and Minerva stood side by side as stone-faced as she was. Gray stood up, hands on the table nervously. _He should have told her last night._

Jellal shot a look at Gajeel that said 'you could have warned me'.

 _"_ Do you...know each other?" Levy asked slowly, looking between the three stunned people.

Gajeel motioned for her to be quiet.

Recovering somewhat, Jellal stood by Minerva, his hands neatly folded in front of him.

"Erza...it is _really_ good to see you."

She stared with wide eyes at both Minerva and Jellal. Gray, Gajeel and Levy started backing toward the door.

"We need to go get Natsu and Lucy from the airport," Levy said, sensing the insane tension in the air.

"We'll come back," Gray promised, "Once Natsu is here, all the Angels can attend a meeting."

"We're just gonna let you talk,"Gajeel agreed.

The three of them fled for the door. Jellal sighed at the unexpected turn of events, but he supposed now was as good a time as any to confront his past.

He watched them go, then turned to Erik, "Have you got somewhere to be? I need talk to Erza."

Erik nodded, "I'll go see what's going on at the cop shop. By now, they should have gathered the employees."

"Thank you, Erik," Minerva said quietly.

Erik went invisible and _transported_ out of the house.

With everyone out of the house, Erza began to recover from the shock too.

"Erza, we want to start by saying we're –" Minerva started.

Erza threw herself into Jellal's arm, hugging him tightly, then switched to Minerva, then back to Jellal.

"My friends," she said, tears streaming down her face, "I have really, really missed you."

* * *

Sting was pacing back and forth in the lobby of the police station as his officers began to arrive back from getting the employees of 8-Island.

Bixslow and Alzack arrived back first with Kinana, Cana and Mest. Cana's senses were reeling again. Something was very, very wrong.

Jet and Droy arrived next, but they didn't have anyone with them at all.

"Where's Virgo and Lisanna?"

Jet and Droy shook their heads, "We looked everywhere. There's no signs of struggle or anything. We hope they just went shopping or something."

"Please go back and stake out their apartment building," Sting said. He held his head between his hands. He was getting a migraine from stress.

Jet and Droy nodded, heading back out the door.

Sting pulled out his cell phone, dialing Rogue's number, kicking the desk as it went straight to voicemail.

* * *

Rogue and Loke pulled up in front of Juvia's apartment building, a little daunted that the front door was wide open.

"Stay here," Rogue said to Loke, "And stay down. Don't let anyone see you."

Loke rolled his eyes. The back seat windows were tinted. It wasn't like anyone was going to peer inside.

Rogue approached the apartment building slowly, pulling his gun and keeping it ready as he walked cautiously up the stairs. He stopped to listen. There was absolute silence.

He came to Juvia's door, again a shady, dread feeling overtaking his body as he realized the door was wide open. He entered the apartment slowly, almost gagging at the sight. There was blood on the floor. Lots of it. And spilled coffee.

"SHIT!" he yelled, smacking the counter. He was too late.

Taking out his cell phone, he realized it was completely off. He turned it back on and dialed Sting.

"ROGUE! Where in the hell are you?" Sting demanded.

"I need a forensics team at Juvia's apartment," Rogue said in a low, quivering voice, "There's blood, Sting...and lots of it."

* * *

The plane had been unloaded of its' passengers and was already boarding the next set. Natsu and Lucy were sitting in the lobby with what luggage they had, waiting impatiently. Their hands were intertwined.

"Gajeel said he'd be here," Lucy said softly, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Natsu was tapping his foot, "We should just take a taxi. I want to see Happy."

"I want to see Plue too," she said, "But maybe this gives us a chance to have the conversation we _didn't_ have on the plane."

He kissed her forehead, "It's not my fault _someone_ slept the entire way back. You didn't even wake up to help me when I was suffering from motion sickness. So mean."

"I'm sorry," she mocked, "Next time I have the opportunity to spend the whole night having passionate sex with the man I love, I'll tell him no because I want to be awake on the airplane while he's motion sick."

He chuckled, "I love you, my sarcastic little sweetheart."

She grinned back, "So spill. Tell me your big bad secret."

He looked down at their intertwined fingers, then at the Angel wings around her neck.

"This is going to sound unbelievable to you," he said quietly, "I'll need you to listen to me until the end with no interruptions, no matter how many questions you have, okay?"

She nodded.

"The other thing is that I'm forbidden to tell you, so please keep it a secret."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, "Forbidden?"

He nodded.

"Okay," she promised.

He took a deep breath, wondering where to start, "So I've told you that Gajeel, Gray, Erza and I are working on a plan to keep you safe from Dan and Samuel," he started, "What I haven't told you is where I'm from…and why I know practically nothing about human behaviour."

"Human behaviour," she repeated, "Natsu, are you going to tell me you're an alien?"

His eyes went wide, "What's an alien?"

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Nevermind. Please continue."

He was nervous. He looked down at his fingers rubbing hers gently.

Suddenly, sirens started going off as well as the automatic sprinklers above them on the ceiling.

People started screaming. Lucy and Natsu's hands flew to their heads, trying feebly to protect themselves from the onslaught of water.

The PA system came on, "Ladies and Gentleman, the fire alarm has been tripped. Please step outside in an orderly fashion while security checks the airport."

Natsu and Lucy grabbed their bags and followed the crowd outside. He shook his head. He'd almost told her again. He still couldn't seem to get it out of his mouth.

* * *

Behind them, Wendy followed them outside to wait in the parking lot while the threat was assessed indoors. She wore a frown on her face. Natsu had been dangerously close to telling Lucy something that he wasn't allowed to. She felt bad for pulling the fire alarm, but the diversion would only work for so long. She would need to bring this dilemma to Jellal first chance she got.

* * *

 _ **OH WOW...THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET CRAZY!**_

 _ **WARNING FOR NEXT CHAPTER: SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER...AND HAVE YOUR KLEENEX BOX READY**_


	47. Chapter 47

Sting was in full planning mode. He was sending out squad cars to look for Juvia, Lisanna, and Virgo. Rogue paced the floor at Juvia's apartment as he called for a forensic team to join them at Juvia's apartment.

There was indeed a lot of blood. And there had definitely been a struggle. Unfortunately, there were also no witnesses. Other inhabitants of the building hadn't been home.

Sting looked at the photo album Juvia had been rifling through, concern lining his face.

He was frustrated. He'd been dealing with the aftermath of Dan Straight and Samuel Zentopia's rampage of terror for days. He still had no idea what was going on other than that they wanted Lucy Ashley and Levy. He didn't even know Levy's last name.

The search on Dan Straight was another mystery. Nothing came up on him at all. There was no ID and no credit cards in his name. He had no criminal history report. It was the strangest thing.

People were getting hurt and even dying…and there was nothing Sting could do but listen to the anonymous tipster when he/she called and listen to them. _Someone_ knew something. He just prayed that they'd come forward sooner than later so the rampage would stop.

They watched as Droy closed the door after Loke, then proceeded to transport him to the police station for safe keeping.

"Rogue?" Sting asked as they were waiting, "Did you go get Laki?"

Rogue choked on his coffee, eyes wide with panic, then headed for his truck.

* * *

Gray flitted to the bottom of the stairs of Juvia's apartment, eyes wide with alarm. Police cars were everywhere. A forensic van had just pulled up outside of the apartment. Flitting inside, Gray began to feel panic coursing through his veins.

"What happened here?" one of the forensic investigators asked.

"We don't know," Sting said, "The girl is gone. It looks like there was a struggle."

The forensic team started taking blood samples.

Gray felt like he was tearing in two. He started hyperventilating.

"Breathe," a voice said beside him.

 _Erik._

"They got her," Gray moaned, absolute anguish taking over his body, "They killed her!"

"We don't know that," Erik said, putting on arm on Gray's shoulder. _Presence._

Gray felt the surge of energy, but he was not comforted by it, "We know that she's hurt or worse!"

Erik shook his head, "We _don't_ know that. It might not be her blood."

Erik stooped down beside the blood pool. A forensic scientist was stooped in the same spot. He dabbed his fingers in it, looking up at Gray.

"This isn't her blood," he said with finality, "But Juvia inflicted it. She fought back against her attacker."

"How do you know that?" Gray asked.

"Because it's my ability. Gajeel is made of steel. I can see auras. This blood is not hers."

Erik pointed to the other pool of blood a foot away from it, " _That_ is her blood. And there's not enough there to indicate she bled out. My guess is he knocked her out."

Gray watched as Erik closed his eyes and concentrated.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Playing back the last hour of aura in this room," Erik said, "It's like a rewind button. But I can't go back too far."

He walked to the table, pointing to the photo album, "She was looking at this. And she was sad because she lost her restaurant, which was a gift from someone who meant a great deal to her."

Gray nodded.

"Over here," Erik walked to the entrance that he suspected the perpetrator had entered from, "Here I see determination…and anger."

He walked back to the pools of blood, studying them for a moment. His eyes rested on the crowbar by the couch.

"She struggled. She fought back. She's not dead, but she is knocked out."

"So if you can see aura," Gray said slowly, "Can you follow footprints?"

Erik's eyes gleamed, "Heck ya, I can! But only if the trail is fresh."

Gray breathed a sigh of relief, "Then let's get going."

* * *

Gajeel drove into the airport parking lot, finding a place to park. There were hundreds of people outside.

"What in the hell…." He muttered.

"That's weird!" Levy exclaimed.

"Hey!" Gajeel stopped a passerby, "What happened?"

"Fire alarm," the man said, continuing to walk by, "Nobody thinks the airport is on fire. It's a precaution."

Gajeel nodded as he started to scan the crowds for Natsu and Lucy.

"I can't see anything!" Levy complained.

"That's cuz you're too short," Gajeel teased.

"Well, it can't be _that_ hard to spot them," Levy chided, "Natsu has _pink hair_. It's not like that's common!"

She squealed as he hoisted her up on his shoulders, her legs around his neck. She glanced around the large crowd, finally spotting Natsu and Lucy in the middle. He was sitting on her suitcase with her on his lap.

"Got them!" she announced, struggling to get down. He stooped the ground, allowing her to get off of him.

She grabbed his hand, so as not to lose him in the crowd, and started walking for them.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Lucy grinned as she caught sight of them.

"Sorry," Gajeel lamented, "Traffic was ridiculous."

Lucy slid off Natsu's lap. He grabbed the handles of the suitcase as they started following Gajeel and Levy back to the car.

"How was your night?" Levy asked.

Lucy and Natsu exchanged glances.

"We had a good time," Natsu confirmed.

Once inside the vehicle, Gajeel started the car and pulled out of the airport. Natsu and Lucy were in the back seat, curled into each other. Gajeel shook his head as he looked in the rear view mirror. There was something different about their closeness. Gajeel had a pretty good guess about what had changed.

"So we have a lot to tell you," Gajeel said, "Did…Natsu tell you some of what's going on, Lucy?"

Lucy nodded. Natsu squeezed her hand encouragingly as she replied, "Dan and Samuel are back."

"Not only that," Levy said quietly, turning to regard her friend, "They've been terrorizing Magnolia. Last night, they blew up Juvia's restaurant. The night before that, they threatened the 8-Island crew...and before _that,_ they went to my work and threatened a new employee there."

Lucy gasped, holding onto Natsu's shirt in a death grip. She felt fear wash over her.

"We're letting go of the apartments," Gajeel said, "We rented a house for you. A big one where Natsu, Gray, and Erza can be under the same roof as you at all times."

Lucy shook her head, "We need to get our stuff. What about Plue and Happy? We need to get out of Magnolia!"

Natsu placed his hand over hers, looking at her dead in the eyes, "No more running, Luce. Remember you said you'd trust me?"

She nodded slowly. She felt a peace pass through her.

"I won't leave your side," Natsu promised, kissing her forehead, "And neither will anyone else. We're going to face this together."

She nodded again, noting Levy's panicked face. She wasn't sure about not running either.

"So where are we going now?" Lucy asked finally.

"To the new house," Gajeel stated. He pulled into a driveway. The house was a 2-story regular, run of the mill house. He stopped the car and got out, rounding to open Levy's door for her.

Gajeel opened the front door and they all entered to have the tour. The entryway came into the lower level. There was a family room with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.

"Natsu and Gray will take the downstairs bedrooms," Gajeel said, "Anyone trying to come in has to get past them first."

He led them upstairs.

"You take first pick of the bedrooms upstairs," Levy urged, "Erza and I will figure out what we want later."

Lucy was trying not to cry as she glanced into the bedrooms. There was nothing extraordinary about the house, but the fact that they had to move _again_ haunted her thoughts. Furthermore…8-Island was gone. Why would Dan and Samuel blow up 8-Island?

She gestured toward the corner bedroom, "That one's fine," she said finally, "There's no furniture."

"We'll work on that," Natsu promised.

Levy and Gajeel were walking down the hall to look at the other bedrooms.

"I get to have my own room again!" Natsu tried to smile. He saw the tears tugging at the corners of her eyes. He wanted her to smile so badly.

"I'd rather share with you," she said softly, "I'm scared, Natsu. You said Dan and Samuel had found us again…but Juvia's restaurant…and I have a feeling there's more we don't know about yet."

He pulled her into a firm hug, "It's going to be okay."

She allowed him to comfort her. She needed the close contact. Every instinct she had told her she needed to take Levy and run. Even so, being in Natsu's arms gave her a new feeling. She buried herself further in his arms, trying to identify it. He was bending down to kiss her and she responded immediately, suddenly aware of what the feeling was.

This time was different. This time, she had friends to face Dan and Samuel with.

The feeling was _hope._

* * *

Juvia started to see flashes of light. She was waking up. She had a horrendous headache as she tried to blink. She realized after a moment that her eyes were swollen. She couldn't get a clear picture of anything in her line of vision. She fought desperately to remember what had happened.

"Juvia!" a panicked voice said. She felt someone hug her. Another someone hugged her as well.

"Oh thank Mavis!" the other voice said.

"Lisanna?" a confused Juvia asked. She tried again to open her eyes, "Virgo? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's us," Lisanna said, dabbing Juvia's eyes with something.

"What happened?" Juvia asked slowly. She was having trouble forming the words.

"Those men that are after Lucy," Virgo said, "They kidnapped us. The one called Samuel brought you about an hour ago. We don't have a clue where we are, only that it's a cabin of some kind."

"I can't see anything," Juvia groaned.

"You took a beating," Lisanna confirmed, "Your face is pretty swollen."

"We're in a room, 5 feet by 6 feet," Virgo described, "There's nothing in it but us, a shelf, and a dirt floor."

"What I don't understand is _why_ ," Lisanna had tears in her voice, " _Why_ would they want anything to do with us?"

The room was quiet for a moment as each girl contemplated their situation.

"They're using us," Virgo said finally, "They're going to use us as bait to make Lucy come."

Juvia was dizzy. She felt nauseous.

"We need to ask for some pain medication for her," Lisanna whispered to Virgo, "I'm pretty sure Juvia has a concussion."

Virgo nodded. They'd been at the door, screaming for hours. There hadn't been so much as a footstep heard outside the door until about an hour ago when the door opened an an unconscious Juvia had been dropped inside the door. She had scared them. She'd been virtually unresponsive.

Virgo looked up at the ceiling, then around at other areas. No vents.

"We're stuck," Lisanna said, feeling defeated.

"We'll wait for an opportunity," Virgo promised, "The red-headed man and the bald man were talking earlier. The bald man has gone out to get some of his friends. Maybe between the two of us, we can take the red-headed man if he opens the door."

Lisanna wasn't confident about that, but she didn't say so. Virgo was much tougher and more assertive than she was. She doubted she would be much help at all.

* * *

Erza released Jellal from the hug, a smile on her face.

"It's really good to see you," she said again. She frowned, "but if I'm seeing you, that means…"

"Yeah," Minerva said solemnly, "We're dead."

Erza nodded, sitting down at the table and gesturing for them to sit too so they could tell her what happened.

Jellal and Minerva exchanged glances as they took their seats.

"So you're the leader of Crime Sorciere," Erza said in wonder, "How is it that you could get to a such a position and I've not heard of you in Heaven before now?"

"We've heard of you though," Jellal smiled, sending her vibes of being proud of her, "You're the Titania."

She nodded, but said nothing. She wanted to hear what had happened to them.

"Might as well tell her," Minerva mumbled. She was looking at her hands, "Especially if we're going to work together."

He took a deep breath.

"Tell me what?" Erza asked, leaning forward in her seat.

"What do you know about Crime Sorciere?" Jellal asked her.

Erza shrugged, "Actually, up until this mission, very little. I know you're a division of Heaven that tries to help criminals repent of their wrongdoing before they die. Gajeel told us about it. They serve a time at Crime Sorciere once they're dead to make up for their transgressions and earn their place in Heaven."

Her eyes widened as she realized that meant both Minerva and Jellal were included under that umbrella.

Jellal saw the realization in her eyes.

"Things…happened after you died. Things I'm not proud of," Jellal said.

"I'm listening," Erza said softly.

Minerva couldn't even look at her.

"Do you…remember the day that you died?" Jellal asked slowly.

"We were 13. A bunch of us went to spend the weekend at Minerva and Ultear's dad's cabin without telling our parents," Erza said.

Minerva and Jellal both nodded. Ultear was Minerva's sister. The older kids hadn't wanted her to come with them, but she threatened to tell the parents where they had gone if they didn't let her come.

"We were drinking," Erza continued, "And we decided to water ski on the lake. I didn't want to do it. I hadn't water skied before. I was more than content to sit in the cabin…with you, Jellal."

"We had the hugest crushes on each other," Jellal reminisced, "We had been cuddling and making out all afternoon."

"The rest of us played out on the lake all afternoon with no problems. Ultear was driving me nuts, asking every 45 seconds to drive the boat or ski. I did my best to ignore her. But then I ran out of alcohol and went back to the house for more," Minerva put in, "I pressured you into trying to ski. Finally, you agreed to do it. I let Ultear drive the boat."

"She took the corner too fast. I couldn't stop," Erza said slowly, "And I crashed into the dock."

Minerva and Jellal nodded.

"What you _don't_ know," Minerva's eyes filled with tears, "Is that I encouraged you to try waterskiing...so that I could go back to the house to find Jellal. I knew you liked him. I knew that you were trying to make him your boyfriend. I sent you out on that lake with Ultear knowing she couldn't drive the boat."

Erza's mouth dropped open.

Minerva's tears streamed down her face as she looked up at Erza, "I'm sorry, Erza. I didn't want you to die. I'm so sorry."

Erza didn't really know what to say.

"It gets worse," Jellal said quietly, "Ultear was screaming, begging for help. All of the other older kids had left the lake and went back to the house once Minerva left. She dove into the lake and got your body up to shore, screaming for help. Finally, some kids heard her and called for Emergency help. Minerva and I were terrified and we knew our parents would be livid. The Emergency personnel all came out and broke up the party. A helicopter brought you back to town. It was too late. You died before you left the cabin."

"I had tons of guilt because I knew you liked Jellal," Minerva said, still looking at her fingers through the tears streaming down her face, "Jellal had guilt because although he was with you, he still hung out with me. Once you were gone, Jellal couldn't deal with your death. He became angry all the time. And destructive. He rebelled at home and at school. And I became bitter. Bitter because the aftermath of our weekend fell to me and not to Ultear. I was the one who held the party. I was the one who brought out the alcohol that my parents kept at the cabin. My parents blamed me."

"Ultear was going through some pretty intense trauma over her guilt regardless of whether her parents blamed Minerva or not," Jellal continued, "And I used my anger to make it worse. It became my game to see how far I could push Ultear through humiliation and physical battery before she'd break. To make sure she knew it was all her fault. To make sure she knew that you would be alive if it wasn't for her."

Erza glanced back and forth between their faces, unable to say anything.

"I joined in on the bullying," Minerva said, "I was desperate to get close to Jellal again since he was pushing everyone else away, so I bullied her outright in front of him one day. We made sure between the two of us that Ultear was completely shunned by everyone. We isolated her. We...beat her up. We publicly shamed her."

"It got to the point where Ultear couldn't handle it anymore," Jellal had his eyes down, "We had cornered her in the school yard and literally stripped her of her clothes down to her underwear. She was mortified and all we did was stand back and laugh. She broke. She went back to her dad's cabin and took a rifle from his hunting closet. She came to school with it the next day…and hunted us down, knowing we'd be together. She intended for it to be a murder-suicide, but surrounding students were able to take her down before she could kill herself."

Erza gasped in horror.

"We were the only ones to die that day, thankfully," Minerva said, "but as I was dying, I remember an Angel coming to me. He emitted this insane peace and he asked me if this is what I wanted to happen. Was I satisfied to die knowing I had driven her to this point? I was given a chance to repent. And I took it."

"The same Angel came to me," Jellal looked at Erza, "He told me it wasn't too late. My life would end, but I could make up for what I did. His name was Erik."

Erza furrowed her brow.

"Yes," Jellal confirmed, "It's the same Erik from earlier today. He used to be called Cobra. He's another one of us that has paid his debt and chose to stay on with Crime Sorciere, even turning down leadership."

"What…what happened to Ultear?" Erza stuttered.

"She was sent to an institution," Jellal said, "Ultear was so traumatically changed, she may spend the rest of her life there. She's ridden with guilt and remorse to the point where she can't function. She's literally catatonic. Minerva and I go visit her on a regular basis. We're the _only_ people who go to see her. Her own parents can't look at her. And we destroyed all of her friendships."

"Jellal and I both joined Crime Sorciere upon our deaths," Minerva said, "We've paid our 'sentence', but neither of us can move on. Not while she can't move on."

"And so, now it's our life's work to try to help _other_ people repent…so that they and their victims can move on," Jellal finished.

Erza nodded. It seemed most of the members of Crime Sorciere stayed on. Gajeel had said he stayed on because the work was so rewarding, according to what Gray told Erza. Perhaps the others felt the same way.

They were both watching her for her reaction. Their faces were drained of colour. Minerva was shaking, her lower lip trembling visibly.

Erza shook her head as she tried to absorb the information, tears flowing down her face. She had been as guilty as they were for not wanting Ultear on that trip. It was _her fault_ that she'd decided to try water skiing when she knew she had no experience. She hadn't known Ultear couldn't drive the boat, but still…it wasn't all her fault…or Minerva's…or Jellal's. They were stupid kids caught up in a very sad, unfortunate situation. What had happened afterward…it was true that there was very little excuse for that. But Jellal and Minerva had been making up for it in various ways ever since. They planned to spend the rest of their existences making up for their transgressions.

Minerva was fidgeting, still waiting for the onslaught of angry blaming. She was indirectly responsible for Erza's death. She deserved the verbal tongue-lashing Erza was about to dish out. This is why she hadn't wanted to come to Magnolia…but in a way, she was glad she did. This needed to happen for Minerva to be able to look at herself as anything but a failure.

"I forgive you," Erza said solemnly to Minerva.

Minerva's eyes filled with tears. She hadn't expected those three little words. She searched Erza's face for some semblance of truth. Her tears streamed down her face freely as Erza reached to squeeze her hands. She had meant it. Jellal's eyes filled with tears too as he watched the two women hug, sobs wracking Minerva's body.

"I'm so sorry, Erza!" Minerva was wailing, "I'm so sorry!"

Erza patted Minerva's head as she cried into her shoulder, "It's okay, Minerva. We were kids. It was unfortunate, but look at all you've become."

They parted, Minerva wiping her eyes as Erza turned to Jellal. They locked eyes. Jellal remembered why he had had a crush on her all those years ago. Erza was as incredibly kind as she was beautiful.

"What you did to Ultear was wrong," she said, "But I cannot fault you entirely. You're doing some important work and you've made up for your wrongdoings. I'm proud to call you my friends. One day, when this is all over...maybe I could go with you to see Ultear. I need to tell her I'm sorry too."

Minverva's nodded her head, going for another hug.

Erza placed Minerva's hand in Jellal's and let go, "And I'm okay with you being together. You don't have to worry about hurting me with it anymore. We were 13. What does a 13-year-old know about love?"

Jellal and Minerva dropped each other's hands quickly.

"We're not together!" Jellal said, the corners of his mouth twitching, "We're friends and colleagues, but that's it!"

Minerva nodded emphatically, "Our sole purpose in existence right now is to right wrongs in Earthland."

Erza laughed, her cheeks tinged red from embarrassment, "It was you two, wasn't it? Who helped Gray pull me from the beams in the restaurant?"

Jellal nodded, "Minerva's gift is excess strength. I am what they call a jack of all trades. I can call on extra strength when I need to."

Erza glanced at both of them, "Thank you. To both of you," she paused, "Can you explain why Samuel and Dan were able to hurt me? We figure they could see Gray because of the infrared glasses...but it doesn't explain why they were able to knock me down, even though I was in _transparency."_

Jellal nodded again, "Your intentions weren't pure, Erza. You were handling things your way. You wanted them to suffer. We Angels have to be careful of that. It made you vulnerable."

"So Gray could have been seriously hurt too," Erza mumbled quietly.

Minerva nodded, "You were lucky. Most of the time, you do your job exactly the way you're supposed to. But you need to keep your anger in check. If you don't, you're opening yourself up to be severely injured."

Erza looked down at her feet. She had been absorbed in her anger for a few days. She couldn't deny that.

"Okay. So now that this talk is out of the way, maybe it's a good time to put our heads together and see how we can help Lucy and Levy," she said finally.

For the first time in forever, Erza saw a smile cross Jellal's face, "That's the plan, Erza. We not only need to help Lucy and Levy…but also Dan and Samuel."

She still felt the pang of anger inside. She didn't want to see Dan and Samuel redeemed. She was angry and heartbroken at the aftermath of their destruction of only a few days. Heaven only knew what other things they had done in the past. It didn't seem fair that they could be offered a second chance.

She shook off her anger. That was what had gotten her into trouble the other night. Right before her eyes were two people who had had a second chance. She admired them, although it pained her greatly that her death had caused such turmoil. She would try to keep to her purpose and remember she was an Angel of Heaven. Otherwise, she realized, she would be of no help to Lucy and Levy at all.

* * *

Rogue arrived at his home, noting everything was the way he'd left it. The front door was unlocked.

"Laki?" he called, "It's just me, Rogue."

There was no answer. He swore under his breath and he raced around the house. She wasn't in any of the rooms. Rushing back to the door, he noted her purse on the floor, sprawled out like it had been dropped. But there was no sign of a struggle other than that.

"Where are you?" he whispered under his breath.

He whipped out his cell to call Sting.

"Sting, I think we have a major problem on our hands," Rogue said, anger edging in his voice, "Laki's gone too."


	48. Chapter 48

Lisanna was sitting on the room floor with Juvia's head in her lap when the door opened.

Immediately Virgo stood up, taking a swing at the person who was coming inside. He backhanded her, sending her sprawling on the floor.

"Try that again and see how I'll punish you," he warned.

It was the tall guy with the reddish hair. They'd heard the bald man call him Dan. He shoved another girl inside, making her sprawl on the floor beside Virgo.

"Please," Lisanna said, her eyes begging, "We need help for Juvia. She's not doing well. I think she has a concussion."

Dan started to laugh, about to let out a 'nice try' when he saw Juvia's pale face.

"Don't try anything funny or I'll kill you all on the spot," he warned.

They all nodded. Juvia needed help. If he was willing to help her, they would be obedient...for now.

He bent down beside her, keeping Virgo and Laki in his sights. Juvia was sweating and she couldn't open her eyes to acknowledge him.

"I'll bring some Tylenol 3's," he said, "and a small amount of water. But don't tell Samuel I did it, or you'll be really sorry."

The girls nodded enthusiastically. Dan backed out of the room and shut the door tight. A moment later, he was back with a small glass of water and a couple pills. He handed them to Laki without a word and backed out of the room again.

Immediately Laki bent down beside Lisanna and Juvia. Lisanna elevated Juvia's head in her arms.

"Juvia...you have to drink this and swallow the pills," she said softly.

Juvia sat up a little more under her own power, wavering slightly. Laki ended up physically putting the pills into her mouth, then lifting the glass. Somehow, Juvia managed to swallow them down. She was more than happy to lie back down.

"So much for overpowering him," Lisanna sighed.

"He brought us a weapon though," Virgo said, her eyes bright.

The other girls looked at her, wide eyed. She took off her shirt and wrapped the glass in it so it wouldn't make a noise when it shattered. She smashed it under her foot. Unfolding her shirt, she took a large shard and handed it to Lisanna, then another to Laki.

"If we need to protect ourselves, I say we do whatever it takes," Virgo said, taking her own shard. She dusted the remnants of the glass into the corner under the lone shelf.

The other girls nodded, their eyes wide. They didn't want to do something horrible like cut another human being, but Dan himself had told them he and Samuel wouldn't hesitate to hurt them. It might be their only defense.

"My name is Laki," the purple haired girl said, "Do you have any idea why we've been kidnapped like this?"

Virgo gestured as she talked, "I'm Virgo, that's Lisanna and Juvia. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but..."

"They're after a colleague of ours: Lucy," Lisanna said softly, "and her roommate, Levy."

Laki's eyes widened, "They're the men who attacked me in the library!"

Lisanna sighed, "Yes. And us the night afterward. I'm afraid we're in a lot of trouble."

Juvia moaned, moving her arm to her aching head.

"The pills must be working," Virgo said with a sigh of relief, "That's the most we've seen her move since we got here!"

* * *

Gray and Erik had been following the aura trail of Juvia's abductor. They stared at the spot that the aura had gone cold.

"I'm sorry," Erik said, "That's where the trail ends. This must be where his car was parked. And this street is too busy. I won't be able to follow the aura of the car."

Gray kicked the dirt, "Shit!

Erik heaved a big sigh. He didn't like the aura that seemed to be gathering over the entire town. It was sinister, foreboding of the stand off that would likely occur within the next day. It promised death. Erik could practically smell it in the air.

The aura was black.

* * *

"Natsu."

Gajeel had been to the apartments to pick up the boxes, Plue, and Happy. Wendy had appeared out of nowhere to help. She mentioned that Natsu had almost told Lucy he's an Angel, making Gajeel shake his head.

Someone had to say something. It was getting to the point of no return.

Gajeel pulled Natsu aside as soon as Levy had a chance to pry Lucy out of his arms. It hadn't been easy. Lucy and Natsu clung to each other everywhere they went since they'd been picked up from the airport, even during their happy reunion with their pets. Plue had knocked them both down, licking both of their faces. Natsu and Lucy did not let go of each other's hands. Happy mewed around their heads. It was like a giant cuddle puddle. Natsu and Lucy had relished in it…they were perfect for each other in farrrrr too many ways.

"Natsu, we need to go back to my house. The Angels are all meeting, including Crime Sorciere."

Natsu glanced at Gajeel, then back to Levy and Lucy who were putting away the groceries that Gajeel had picked up on the way back.

"I can't leave her," Natsu said, "I think Lucy should come too."

"We can't talk freely with her there," Gajeel protested.

"Then we should tell her the absolute truth!" Natsu shot back, "Lucy deserves to know. This is _her life_ we're playing with!"

"No," Gajeel said firmly, "We're opening the rest of the bars and discussing how to proceed from here. She'll be in the way."

Natsu looked at him dead in the eyes, "Then let me know what happens. Because I'm not leaving her."

He stomped off to help put the groceries away.

Gajeel sighed. It was like dealing with a stubborn kid.

"He loves her," Wendy said, appearing beside him. She had been observing again. Natsu and Lucy intrigued her. An Angel and a human...forbidden as it was, she has never seen two people so in love. The tragedy of it struck a cord in her.

Gajeel nodded.

"But it's forbidden…it's not going to end well for them," Wendy said in a small voice.

"We all know that," Gajeel said, "And every last one of the group has tried to tell Natsu that. He won't listen."

Gajeel paused, glancing at Wendy, "Can you heal them, Wendy? Can you make them feel like they can go on when it comes time for Natsu to return to Heaven?"

Wendy shook her head, "I don't think even my ability to heal hearts can help in this situation," she said forlornly, "The problem is…she loves him too. I can only heal hearts that have accepted wrong-doing. Lucy and Natsu don't see that what they're doing is wrong."

"The hard part is, I don't think it's wrong either," Gajeel looked down at his feet, "I haven't spent as much time with them as Levy or Gray or Erza, but even I can see that what they have is pure. How can something so pure be wrong?"

Wendy didn't have an answer.

"Okay," he said, "I'll get Shrimp and we'll meet you back at my house. Natsu refuses to attend the meeting without Lucy, so tell Jellal it will be just me and Shrimp coming."

Wendy nodded and disappeared.

"Natsu, we'll be back in an hour or so," Gajeel announced, "Maybe try to set this furniture up."

He nodded to the furniture he had brought from his house…the furniture used to cloak the gold bars in the moving truck. Plue and Happy were curled up together on a rug by the door, a little bit awed at all the activity and being moved.

"Shrimp, we gotta return the rental truck."

She nodded, following him out of the house.

"What about Natsu?" Levy asked as she got into the passenger side of the rental truck.

"Natsu won't come without Lucy," Gajeel muttered under his breath, "I don't know what to do."

"I think he's right," Levy said softly, looking at her fingers, "Jellal thought it was so important to make sure she knew Dan and Samuel are here…she should be included in the meeting. Bring them both with us."

Gajeel sighed. Levy was glaring at him from the passenger seat.

"Lucy should be there too!" she reiterated. When he didn't move, her glare intensified.

"Okay, fine!" he grunted, getting out of the driver's seat to go get Natsu and Lucy, "Out of the truck, Shrimp. If we're taking Natsu and Lucy, we'll have to take the U-Haul back later."

She grinned, exiting the truck immediately and heading for Gajeel's car.

Gajeel pushed open the door to the house almost angrily, "Natsu! Lucy! Let's go! Strategy meeting in 15 minutes!"

* * *

Dan watched from the window as Samuel arrived in the black Dodge Dart. A Chevy ½ ton pulled up beside the little car. Several people got out of the vehicles. He looked them up and down. They didn't look like much, but Dan knew these were some of the remnants of Jose Porla's gang. They each had special talents….talents that could help them finally get Lucy and Levy once and for all.

They entered the cabin, looking Dan over. Samuel spread out an arm as if to say, 'Ta-da'.

"These are some of my oldest friends," he told Dan, "I think we'll find them very useful."

Dan glanced from face to face, a little nervous since he was so outnumbered now.

"This is Kyoka," Samuel started with the woman by the door. Her sandy brown hair spread out in every direction, giving her face a triangular look. Dan thought she was funny-looking...almost like a bird, "She's our pilot. She's been a drug runner between countries for Porla for years."

Dan nodded to her. She looked at her nails nonchalantly, baring acknowledging him.

"This is Jackal," Samuel continued, pointing to a with blonde hair. He wore a tank top and a bandana. He certainly didn't look very threatening, "Jackal is our resident bomb expert. He has a reputation in the drug world like no one else for his use of pyrotechnics. He, however, works exclusively for Porla...even now."

Jackal looked at Dan, grinning widely, but not saying very much.

"You're the one who brought us the 8-Island owner," Dan said.

Jackal nodded, rubbing his still sore nose. It was black and swollen, but he hadn't bothered to bandage it.

Samuel pointed to a big hulk of a man with what Dan guessed was a perma-scowl, "That's Ezel. I probably don't have to explain to you what he does."

Dan shook his head. Ezel had to be close to seven feet tall. His shoulders were wider than the door and he had to come in sideways. The man was solid muscle.

"Lastly, we have Sorano," Samuel said, "She's an expert in hand to hand combat and surveillance equipment."

Dan looked her over, salivating a bit. She was really pretty. She had white hair and a skimpy white dress that revealed a lot more of her than he would imagine a hand to hand combat expert to expose.

"Jackal is going to work on our presents for the girls we kidnapped," Samuel said, "Have they been well-behaved today?"

Dan nodded, "The 8-Island owner isn't doing very well. I think Boomer over there gave her a concussion."

Jackal cast a sideways glance at him.

"She's gonna die anyway," Kyoka murmured, still looking at her nails.

"Probably," Samuel said nonchalantly, "Especially if we're going to use her the way I hope to with Jackal's presents."

Dan looked at him, cocking his head slightly and waited for an explanation.

"BOOM!" Jackal spread his arms wide. The entire crew burst out laughing as Dan raised his eyebrows quizzically.

* * *

Crime Sorciere, Gajeel, Levy, Gray, Natsu and Lucy were gathered around the gold bars now hidden in the storage area of Gajeel's house.

Everyone had regarded Lucy as she entered with the others, trying not to show their shock or surprise. Jellal shot Gajeel a 'what the hell' look. Gajeel had just looked at his feet, unable to provide a valid explanation.

"We'll start by making sure everyone knows who everyone is, being that this is the first time we've all been in the same room together. I'm Jellal, leader of Crime Sorciere."

Lucy glanced at Natsu, already lost.

"Crime Sorciere is a special division aimed at taking specific criminals down. Gajeel is a member. We call them _Doovers_ ," he whispered lightly to her. Gajeel grunted beside him. That wasn't a half bad answer...minus the 'Doover' part.

"The others in my crew are Minerva, Gajeel, Wendy, and Erik," Jellal continued.

Lucy looked at each face as they were being introduced. She knew Gajeel was a cop, but was unaware he was in a special division. Wendy didn't look old enough to be a cop. She had an innocence about her that reminded Lucy of Natsu.

"I'm Gray," Gray spoke up, "And our crew consists of myself, Erza, Levy, Natsu…and Lucy."

Crime Sorciere nodded their regards.

"So current status of this mission is that after 8-Island burned down last night, Samuel and Dan have used the files they stole to get addresses to kidnap Juvia, Lisanna, and Virgo," Jellal continued, "And our sources say that the girl who was threatened at the library - Laki - is also missing."

Lucy gasped, her face contorting in pain. She hadn't been aware of the kidnappings. Beside her, Natsu squeezed her hand. He hadn't known either.

"We need to find them," Jellal continued, "And we need to strike hard and fast when we do because the more room we leave for retaliation, the more violent this whole thing is going to get. Samuel and Dan have racked up their own implications against themselves. They will not be hard to take down if we can expose their whereabouts to police. We also have the evidence to hand over to police regarding Porla and Heartfilia. We need to open the rest of the fake bars to find out what else is inside. Hopefully, one of them will have information as to where the solid gold bars are kept."

"I know where they are," Lucy spoke up.

Everyone turned to her, even Natsu.

"My mother had a secret room in the basement of our mansion," she said, "My father didn't know about it."

"How do _you_ know about it?" Natsu asked, squeezing her hand again.

"My mother hid me in there during several of my father's rampages," Lucy said quietly, "There was one time that Kari was there and my mother asked him to send her away. He went ballistic, so she ran with me in tow. She put me in the room, then went to face my father. I wasn't very old. I don't remember much about what was inside the room. But I knew it was there, and I'm certain that's where she'd hide them…right under his nose."

The entire group was shocked. Everyone other than Natsu and Levy had thought it was a bad idea to allow Lucy to sit in on this meeting…but it turned out, she had very valuable information.

"Lucy, do you know how your mother died?" Erza asked gently.

All eyes were on her. Lucy felt her face flush. Natsu held onto her, hugging her from behind to give her courage.

"My father killed her," she said, her face clouding over, "In one of their fights just after Kari died. She suggested to him that maybe then we could be happy family…the three of us."

Levy's mouth fell open. She didn't know that, "Oh Lucy!"

Natsu remembered that for a time, when Kari had disappeared with Porla, that the three of them _had_ been happy. That was where Lucy's memories of the loving father had come from. Deep down, even at a young age, she had known he was a monster.

"I didn't see him kill her," Lucy said quietly, "But I walked in the room just afterward and saw the body. My father screamed at me and made me leave the room. I...blocked a lot of those memories. I don't remember Kari and I don't remember very many details of my mother's death. Only if I make myself _think_ about them...which I prefer not to do."

Natsu and Levy exchanged glances, both of them holding a hand.

"I know something else," Lucy said, pushing the bad memories aside, "I know who Samuel is and why he's involved in this whole thing to begin with."

Once again, everything stayed still, waiting for the new revelation. Perhaps having Lucy sit in on this meeting was a FAR better idea than they'd thought.

"You discovered through the gold bars that Dan is Porla's son," she said. Natsu had told her that and it had been a surprise to her, but she hadn't told him the whole truth about why it shocked her so, "Samuel is also Porla's son. From another woman. He's quite a bit older than Dan and while he grew up under Porla's protection in his gangs, he was never publicly acknowledged by Porla until almost the end…when Porla went to jail."

"Whoa – wait a minute," Gray interrupted, "You're telling us they're brothers?"

Lucy nodded, "I learned _that_ from a fight between Porla and my father in the study of our house. It was the only time I'd ever seen Porla in person and my mother took me away before I could hear anymore, but the gist of it was my dad thought Dan might be his kid and reminded Porla he already _had_ an heir to his empire…the first son, Samuel Zentopia."

"Holy shit," Gajeel said out loud.

"So how did Samuel and Dan come to work together around the time that your dad died?" Erza asked.

She shook her head, "That I don't know. I didn't even know Dan was the son Porla and Kari shared until Natsu told me about the contents of the gold bars. I just knew there was a brother."

"So do Dan and Samuel know they're brothers?" Levy asked.

Lucy shook her head. She didn't know.

They were all silent for a moment, absorbing the new information.

"Lucy," Erza said, gently squeezing her arm, "We know that couldn't have been easy for you to share. Thank you."

Lucy nodded, turning to Natsu for a hug.

"Let's crack open the rest of these bars," Jellal suggested, "Please do the honours, Black Steel."

Gajeel ticked his head toward Lucy. Jellal made an embarrassed noise, remembering they could not use their abilities in front of Lucy. Spying a hammer, Gajeel grabbed it, holding it up. The others grabbed various other tools to break the bars open while Lucy and Levy hung back, watching.

The next 45 minutes consisted of opening gold bars and removing the evidence. The room was alive with noise as they broke open the bars. As new evidence was exposed, Lucy and Levy time lined it on a piece of paper to keep track of what they found. Most of it was evidence against Porla, sometimes Jude. More pictures and letters from Kari appeared, pretty much confirming what Lucy had told them.

Levy came across one particular picture, staring at it intently. Gajeel saw her staring and came over to look. It was a picture of the body of a young kid after the raid on Porla's drug facility.

"Yes," he said softly, trying not to draw the attention of anyone else, "That _is_ me. I was the drug runner caught in that raid."

She nodded, tears gathering in her eyes as she set the picture aside and went back to work. That picture couldn't go in the evidence. If Sting and Rogue were to see it, there would be no way to explain it. She couldn't ask him any questions right now, but her mind was reeling. She forced herself to stop thinking about it. There was no point in drudging up the story now. She would have to ask him about it later.

They were getting down to the last few bars when Natsu found a letter. He glanced at Lucy, thinking it might be better to pass the letter to Levy…but he had promised to be honest with her.

He handed Lucy the letter. Lucy stared at it, tears gathering in her eyes. She realized it was from her mother…she hadn't seen her handwriting in so very long.

"This is it," she said, gaining the attention of everyone in the room once she'd read the letter for herself, "This is the letter where my mother tells us where the gold bars are."

Tears dripped from her eyes, hitting the paper. Gently, Levy took the letter from her as Natsu collected Lucy into his arms, holding her against his chest as the tears flowed.

Levy cleared her throat and began to read the letter.

 _My Dearest Lucy:_

 _I have no doubt that you will read this letter one day, probably many years after my death. I am sorry, my daughter, but I suspect that my death is imminent. I've angered your father to the point where I don't think I can redeem myself. Between losing the gold bars and Kari's death, he's gone crazy._

 _I gave you three keys on a golden chain not long ago and told you never to tell your father they exist. In another letter, I explained why I did it. The purpose of this letter is to tell you that the remainder of the gold bars is in the hidden room in the basement of our house. I suspect you'll probably guess that yourself, depending on when you start breaking open these bars. What you probably don't know is how to access the room._

Lucy's mother went on to tell distinct instructions on how to enter the hidden room, followed by an 'I love you' before she signed the letter off. Lucy was still sobbing on Natsu's shoulder as Levy finished reading.

"She spread out her own evidence," Lucy whispered, "So if the gold bars fell into the wrong hands, they wouldn't get all the information at once."

"I think it's time to start setting up Dan and Samuel," Jellal said, "Let's start by getting some of this evidence in the open. Gajeel, it's time to your friends Sting and Rogue a phone call. The rest of us need to get this evidence packaged up in a neat little bow."

* * *

Natsu was tossing and turning on the make-shift bed down in the bedroom of the new house. Today had been a very discouraging day. He and Lucy had been made aware of all the things that Dan and Samuel had been up to. None of it was good.

Happy was curled up on the pillow. He stretched and looked at Natsu as he got up, but didn't get up himself. Natsu wished he was a cat. Happy didn't have a care in the world as long as he was fed, cuddled, and had fresh cat litter.

He got up, listening carefully once outside of Gray's bedroom. It was silent except for the odd snore. He crept up the stairs quietly, shushing Plue as he got to the top. Plue wagged his tail when he realized who it was and practically lead Natsu down the hall to Lucy's room.

He knocked once, not wanting to wake Erza and Levy in the rooms just beside hers. Gently, he opened the door. Lucy was sitting up in bed. She reached her arms out to him as he closed the door behind him.

"You can't sleep either?" she asked as they embraced.

"I think I understand why you and Levy have so much fear toward Samuel and Dan," Natsu admitted, "They've been up to some pretty awful things."

"I'm worried about Juvia, Lisanna, and Virgo," Lucy said softly, "Neither Levy or I know Laki…but that just adds to our worries. We don't even know how many people are caught up in this now."

Lucy shuffled over in the bed, making room for Natsu. He slid in and she took her place, cuddled into his side.

"We should have run," Lucy said softly.

Natsu kissed the top of her head, "You're not alone this time. We're all going to face it together. And the truth is…even if you ran, Dan and Samuel will just keep finding you. If we don't finish it at some point, you will never have any semblance of a normal life."

She nodded, resolving to be brave.

"Jellal's group is incredibly smart," he continued, "Let's just see what happens, okay?"

She nodded again, kissing his neck.

He bent down to kiss her temple.

"Can you sleep here tonight?" she asked softly.

He answered her by wrapping his arms around her, needing her comfort as much as she needed his.


	49. Chapter 49

"This is my boss, Jellal," Gajeel introduced Jellal to Rogue and Sting.

"Jellal," Sting nodded to him, "May I ask…who are you people? Who do you work for?"

Gajeel shook his head, "You can't ask, Sting. It's classified."

Sting and Rogue exchanged glances.

"What's in the U-Haul?" Rogue asked.

Gajeel and Jellal had called Sting and Rogue first thing in the morning to meet them at a completely out of the way location outside of Magnolia. They could be sure there were no extra ears here and there was no chance of Dan and Samuel's crew accidentally witnessing anything.

"Evidence," Gajeel said, "We think you should know who we're dealing with. And why. Lucy and Levy have been running from Samuel Zentopia and Dan Straight for years now. I did some research and I've almost been able to trace every town they've been to simply by the crime sprees left in their wake. Most of these remain unsolved crimes. I included my research in an envelope inside, as well as complete names if you want to do your own searches."

Sting nodded, taking the keys from Gajeel. Jellal had driven Gajeel's car out so that they'd be able to get back to Magnolia afterward.

"There's more history there than just recent," Jellal said, "In that truck are the remnants of seven boxes of gold bars. Six of the boxes are fake and the evidence that were implanted within are neatly laid out for your consideration. This is all the evidence you'll need to keep Jose Porla behind bars for the rest of his life, if there was ever any hope of him getting out, plus the history of what's lead up to the more recent happenings."

"Dan and Samuel are both Jose Porla's sons," Gajeel continued, "And _this_ ," he gestured behind him, "is what they're after…the gold bars. Lucy had the keys to the warehouse they were hidden in for the last 15 years, which is ultimately why they're after her. That, and Dan is completely obsessed with Lucy."

"Wait – you said six of the seven boxes are fake," Sting pointed out, "So where are the real bars?"

"That evidence is also in the U-Haul," Jellal said, "Details of the location, and how to access the room."

"So where does this leave us in the current investigation?" Rogue asked.

"Four women are missing," Gajeel said, "And Dan and Samuel don't know we've emptied the warehouse in Crocus. They're still out there and they're still dangerous."

"We're going to find the women and take Dan and Samuel down for good," Jellal continued.

Sting and Rogue exchanged glances again, considering everything they'd just been told.

"Where are Lucy and Levy?" Sting asked finally.

"They're in our protective custody," Gajeel said.

"What you're doing is a form of vigilantism," Rogue warned.

Gajeel shook his head, "I'm a legit cop, Rogue. And we're not working outside the law. I'm just working with a special unit. The goal is to get the women back and take Samuel and Dan down with no casualties. Nothing vigilante about it."

"No casualties..." Rogue repeated. How would that be possible? Everything Samuel and Dan had done so far was violent and threatening. They weren't going to lie down and accept defeat that easily.

"How do we get in touch with you if we need you?" Sting asked as Gajeel and Jellal headed for the car.

Jellal opened the passenger side door, a smile on his face, "You don't. We'll be watching. We'll know when to contact you. But if all else fails, you can always try Gajeel's cell."

"He never answers the messages," Rogue muttered under his breath.

"Don't keep that evidence in Magnolia," Gajeel warned as he got into the car, "If I were you, I'd be taking it to Onibus for safe keeping. But feel free to check it all out. You'll see it's all the real thing."

Gajeel spun his tires, leaving Rogue and Sting in the clearing.

"What do you think?" Rogue asked as they watch the car disappear around the corner.

"I don't know," Sting said honestly, "We're at a loss. We haven't figured anything out. But for some reason, they seem to know almost everything. And we know Gajeel. He's a good cop. Maybe we don't have a choice but to trust them."

Rogue glanced back at the U-Haul.

Sting nodded, "Let's go to Onibus."

* * *

Gray woke up slowly. He hadn't slept well at all the night before. He couldn't stop thinking about Juvia and all the blood in her living room. He knew that three other women had been taken too, but as far as he knew, there were not vast amounts of blood in the locations of their abductions.

He was worried. Juvia was a strong and resourceful woman. He prayed that she wasn't badly hurt. Maybe she'd find a way to escape on her own.

His heart was in pain for her. Juvia had been nothing but a good friend to Lucy and Levy. She had a past with Gajeel as her best friend. In Crocus, she'd become an essential part of their little group, even though she didn't realize Gray was a part of that group too. She didn't deserve what was happening to her. In the past few days, she had had her employees threatened, lost her business, been injured, and then kidnapped. He wished he knew where to start looking for her.

They had no clue where to look for Dan and Samuel now. As suspected, they hadn't been back to the motel. Nor would they book anywhere else in town. Gray doubted they could just 'rent' somewhere like all of them had done by moving to this house. There must have found another location that would be safe for them.

He was also worried for Levy and Lucy. They put on brave fronts, but Gray didn't believe them. He could see the fear written in their eyes with everything they did. Yesterday, he and Gajeel spent some time bringing furniture to the house. They were working on beds and whatnot, but they couldn't bring Natsu to help. Lucy was terrified to be alone in the house. Even Levy showed her fear in small ways…like the way she clung to Gajeel every time he tried to leave. She'd nearly broken down in tears when he went home the night before to sleep. There was a pang of jealousy, but Gray had quickly shoved it off. He could see how much Levy liked Gajeel. And the feeling was mutual.

He was impressed with Crime Sorciere. His first impressions of Jellal were giving way to a foundation of trust. He knew what he was doing. And his crew knew what they were doing. The extent of their abilities had yet to be seen, but the little time he spent with Erik yesterday was enough to prove to Gray that their abilities were much more vast than that of regular Angels like Gray, Erza, and Natsu. Levy also had different abilities as a Guardian that he didn't know about yet. He hoped there would be no need to find out.

There was a slight knock at the door, "Are you up, Gray?"

"Come in," Gray said when he realized it was Erza.

She came in and sat on the bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded.

"That must have been some intense talk yesterday," he put his legs over the bed, which was just a mattress really, to sit with her.

"You knew, didn't you?"

"That Crime Sorciere's leader was Jellal? Yeah," Gray looked down at this hands, "I'm sorry, Erza. I was trying to find a way to tell you."

"I'm okay," she said, "I learned how Jellal came to be a part of Crime Sorciere. And Minerva too. We're all going to be fine working together."

"I don't remember Minerva," Gray said, "But I remember Jellal. You two were so close, he used to come to your house during family gatherings."

Erza nodded, "He's become something pretty amazing. Minerva…was the sister of the girl who was driving the boat."

Gray glanced at her, but did not press for details. He knew there was a story there. One that was not his business.

"Are you okay?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

He shook his head, "I'm terrified. Juvia is out there somewhere. She's wounded and kidnapped."

Erza reached over, squeezing his hand gently, "We'll find her, Gray."

He shrugged his shoulders, "We'll find the hostages and defeat Samuel and Dan with no blood shed, right? According to the Doovers, that's how things are done…that easily."

"Doovers?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Don't ask," Gray said forlornly.

"Have faith," she said gently, "Crime Sorciere is good at what they do. Give them a chance."

He nodded.

She stood up from the mattress, "Lucy had Natsu go for pancake batter and a frying pan. They should be just about ready. Everyone is laying low and staying out of sight today. So we're going to work on the house after breakfast. Come upstairs and have some pancakes."

Gray let out a deep sigh, "In a minute."

She left the room and closed the door behind her.

Gray went back to the thought that had kept him up all night long.

 _Juvia_.

* * *

"So the gist of this whole thing," Jackal was saying as he was constructing his special bomb, "is that if we get these girls, they have the key to the storage unit that keeps the missing gold bars that Jose lost all those years ago?"

"Yes," Samuel said, "And then we'll have the money to re-invent Phantom Lord."

Everyone stopped what they were doing, exchanging glances. Life had been tough since Porla went away all those years ago. There was no shortage of work for any of them since they all had special talents, but it wasn't the same as belonging to Phantom Lord. Porla had been like a father to them.

"Are you sure they're even _in_ Magnolia?" Kyoka asked.

Samuel nodded, "They're here, alright. I can't think of another reason that _person_ warned us to leave."

"Do you really think it was a ghost?" Ezel asked.

"Yes!" Dan said.

"No!" Samuel snapped, "There's no way it was a ghost. There's a trick to what he did somewhere. Any way you look at it, he wouldn't have warned us if Lucy and Levy weren't here somewhere."

The others nodded. That made sense.

"Then you want us to rig the area with infrared lights…that's why you had us bring all this equipment," Sorano said more than asked. That would fall within her realm. Surveillance was another thing she did very well.

Samuel nodded, "Yeah. The sooner the better. But don't use all that you brought for this little cabin. I think we're going to use the docks for our confrontation."

"How long will it take to prepare our special surprises?" Dan asked.

"I'll need the night…maybe part of tomorrow," Jackal replied.

Dan and Samuel both nodded.

"The rest of you need to check our weaponry," Samuel told them, "When the bombs are ready, we'll want to be ready too."

Everyone scrambled away, Jackal kicked his duffel bag as he headed to work on the kitchen table.

"Are you going to call _him_ now?" Samuel sneered.

"I will when we have something to tell him," Dan said.

"You know I only keep you around because I want the bars, right?" Samuel said flatly.

Dan nodded, "And if you kill me, you'll never know their location. So play nice."

Samuel watched his retreating back. He could not wait for the day when he could grind a knife right in the middle of it.

* * *

Gajeel spent the day running errands for the new household. He had managed to get five proper beds, mostly twin sizes, but Levy and Lucy had managed to score queens. A couch and some kitchen items had been included in the things that were brought in the U-Haul, so Gajeel also managed to acquire a couple arm chairs, a kitchen table with chairs, and a sofa for the downstairs family room. Gray set up the Wii-U in the living room with an older TV Gajeel had acquired. It was beginning to look like a home.

"I'm starting to like it here," Lucy told Natsu, joining him in the kitchen to make dinner.

Natsu smiled, kissing her lightly, "There's only one improvement I'd want to make."

"Nobody is saying you can't sneak into my room every night," Lucy teased.

"That's because nobody knows," Natsu teased back.

"Get a room!" Levy called when she saw them kissing. She was walking across the living room.

Natsu and Lucy exchanged glances and giggled a bit…that's _exactly_ what they'd been talking about.

Gray and Gajeel had been working on window coverings, making it difficult to see into the house.

"I guess nothing major has happened today," Levy commented, handing Gajeel a nail. He was putting up curtain rods.

"That's a good thing," Gajeel said, "The longer things are quiescent, the better."

Erza sighed as she brought some pillows in to place on the sofa. None of them really thought that things would stay this quiet.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

The door opened. This time it wasn't Dan. The man was huge. He wore a scowl on his face as he searched the four girls faces, trying to decide on a victim.

"You!" Ezel stooped down, picking Lisanna up by her arm with one hand. Juvia fell off her lap, landing on the floor. He stomped out of the room, locking the door behind him.

Juvia moaned.

"Are you okay, Juvia?" Virgo asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Better than earlier," Juvia said very slowly. She had to think about her words in order to get them out. It was still a very bad concussion, "What just happened?"

"They took Lisanna," Laki said quietly.

Virgo smiled to herself. Yes, they had taken Lisanna.

But Lisanna had taken her shard.

* * *

Ezel and Sorano each held an arm as they slipped a jacket overtop of a shaking Lisanna's body. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized the contents of the vest.

"Perfect fit," Jackal said, standing back to admire his handiwork. He looked Lisanna in the eyes, smiling as though he were giving her a new dress or something…like she should be pleased.

Jackal turned back to his table, "Tell Samuel I'm almost done."

The vest was taken off of Lisanna again. Ezel left the room, leaving only Sorano and Jackal.

Lisanna called on every ounce of courage she had, bursting forth with a sudden energy she didn't know she possessed. Grabbing the glass shard from her pocket, she slashed at Sorano, slicing her cheek, then whirled around, bringing the shard of glass directly into Jackal's arm. She sprinted for the door as they both screeched out. Jackal recovered first, grabbing her shoulders and ripping her back into the room. Sorano kicked her in the stomach, sending her to her knees.

"Bitch!" Sorano said, spitting in her face. She wiped her cheek. Bright red blood was pouring out of it. She grabbed a nearby tea towel applied pressure. Jackal was bleeding heavily too, but he held Lisanna on her knees, one hand on her shoulder, the other holding her back by her hair.

Samuel, Dan, Ezel and Kyoka rushed in, shocked at the scene in front of them.

"You just made a big mistake," Sorano told her.

"Do you know what I do for a living?" Jackal asked, getting down on his knees so he could stare Lisanna in the eyes. There was blood pouring down his arm, "I'm a bomb specialist. _You_ just pissed off a bomb specialist. Not very smart of you. I think you would like to see what I do up close. VERY up close and personal-like."

"How did she get the glass?" Samuel demanded.

Nobody answered. Dan used his best poker face.

"Doesn't matter!" Dan bellowed, "Separate the bitches. Search them to make sure they don't have any more glass! They talk to each other too much if they thought a stunt like this would help them escape!"

Samuel grabbed Lisanna from Jackal, dragging her off to another room.

Dan turned toward the room with the three remaining girls, Ezel following right behind.

He opened the doors, scowling at them angrily, "I thought I told you girls to behave."

Laki and Virgo exchanged glances, eyes widening in fear as Ezel grabbed Virgo and Dan grabbed Laki. They searched the girls, removing their shards of glass from their pockets. Dan slapped Virgo across the face, leaving a hand print, then nodded to Ezel to take her away. He repeated the slap with Laki.

"You're going to be sorry," Dan promised. Laki felt the tears spring to her eye as she was jerked from the room.

Juvia now laid in the room alone. She tried to muster up the strength she had left to look around. It was hopeless. She was still blinded by the swelling, her head still hurt, and now she was completely alone.

 _"Please_ ," she whispered in her head, since she didn't have the strength to utter the words out loud, " _We could really use a miracle about now."_

* * *

Sting and Rogue had their officers out on the town in plain clothes today, watching for anything suspicious. It was abnormally quiet. Too quiet.

They had taken the U-Haul to Onibus, as suggested. The Onibus police had called an hour ago, confirming everything Gajeel and Jellal had told them. Onibus police were going to check out the gold bars at the Heartfilia mansion.

Lucy was a Heartfilia.

Jose Porla was one of the largest drug cartel leaders in the history of Fiore.

Jose Porla and Jude Heartfilia hated each other.

The story was starting to come together for them. They'd done a ton of research in Jose Porla's past. The evidence presented to them fit with everything they knew about him.

Police had always suspected Jude Heartfilia's crime waves, but had never been able to prove it.

In the load of evidence, there were many things implicating Lucy's father in illegal activities. If he hadn't died almost two years ago, Rogue and Sting would be knocking on his door to make an arrest.

Still, Gajeel had included some of his own research. There was an account in Jude's name that had regular payments coming out of it. The mansion had been sitting empty for a couple years now. Lucy had never resurfaced to stake her claim in the fortune, but grounds people came by the mansion every now and then to maintain the place. These mystery payments that Gajeel pointed out were above and beyond the regular upkeep of the mansion. Where was that money going?

As it was, the evidence gathered on Porla was huge. Sting had done a search and realized Porla was coming up for parole after serving 15 years at a full-security facility. This evidence could destroy any chance of parole. And they both knew…keeping Porla off the streets was a major in keeping the citizens of Fiore safe.

"Are you as nervous as I am? I can't shake this ominous feeling," Rogue said to Sting.

They were on the roof of the police station, staring out over the city.

Sting nodded, taking a drag off of a cigarette. He was not a smoker, but his stress level was through the roof. He felt calmer with the act.

"It's too quiet, Rogue," Sting said, half under his breath, "Far too quiet."

Rogue nodded, reaching for the pack of cigarettes. He was feeling the tension too.

 _It was the calm before the storm._


	50. Chapter 50

The next day was quiet too…or at least the first half of it was.

Jackal had finished his special surprises. It was time to take action.

Samuel and Dan had decided their plan needed to be bold. They needed to make a statement that left no room for second guessing or heroics.

They marched up the steps of the police station, pushing a gagged Lisanna ahead of them. They were armed with machine guns and wearing vests. Lisanna was wearing a vest too: a vest covered in wires and a ticking clock. There was a metal welding on the jacket. Jackal made sure to explain to her very carefully that these were the wires that would explode the bomb. There was no way to deactivate it. Lisanna was going to die...and she was going to kill a lot of people at the same time. Tears cascaded from her eyes as she was shoved inside the station. All eyes stopped, turning to look at her.

"Lisanna!" Cana yelled.

The employees of 8-Island stood up. Jet and Droy were drawing out their weapons, as were the multiple other police officers in the station. Sting and Rogue came out of their office to see what the commotion was.

"That would be a mistake!" Samuel announced, holding up a remote control as Macao tried to get closer, "If you try to shoot me and my finger goes off the trigger, you will all die."

"What do you want?" Jet demanded.

"Lucy Heartfilia and Levy McGarden," Dan said simply, "Send them to the dock at midnight tonight with the keys and no one else has to die. But be warned. They need to show up _alone_. We have three other lovely ladies hidden around the city. Cross us, they die…and half the city with them!"

"When Lucy and Levy come to the docks at midnight," Samuel continued, "we will make our getaway _with no tails._ Once we know it's a clean getaway, we'll tell you the locations of the other 3 girls."

He turned to the 8-Island crew, smirking evilly, "I told you about what happens if I'm disappointed in your answers, didn't I? I'm going to leave your little friend here so that you can mull it over."

Dan and Samuel shoved Lisanna down to the ground, then backed out of the station.

The second they were out of the station, all hell broke loose with people rushing around. The 8-Island crew, Jet and Droy all rushed to Lisanna. The clock on her chest was ticking. Rogue was already on the phone, calling in bomb specialists. Sting was on his knees in front of the shaking Lisanna, trying to examine the device.

Minerva had been assigned to keep watch over the police station. Any disturbances in Magnolia were likely to be reported there first. And Jellal still didn't trust Rogue and Sting to tell them everything.

She left the station and headed for Gajeel's house where Crime Sorciere had set up their operation. Jellal needed to know about this right away.

* * *

Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray,and Levy sat at their house, awaiting the return of Crime Sorciere. It had been completely quiet for the past day and a half.

Lucy and Levy were both visibly nervous, trying not to talk about anything directly related to the issue at hand. They discussed what Lucy and Natsu did on their night alone in Crocus, leaving out 'parts'. Levy told them about the trip home from Crocus with Gajeel…also leaving out 'parts'. Erza filled them in with the more dismal details of her days alone watching Samuel and Dan, but they all laughed as she described her pranks to them. She caught herself partway through her stories, making it sound like she was sneaking around rather than invisible for Lucy's sake. She left out the shower story. Her stories were good tension breakers. Gray sat silently, contemplating about where Juvia was and what Samuel and Dan were up to. He doubted the feeble threats he'd made the night of the fire at the restaurant had chased them out of town. If anything, it may have made them angrier.

The door opened and all of them rose to their feet, watching as Crime Sorciere entered. Plue barked for a moment, then retreated to Lucy who was on the couch. They all filed into the living room, sitting down around the furniture.

"What happened?" Erza asked.

They could all tell by the looks on Crime Sorciere's faces that something had changed.

"We have new information," Jellal said, turning to Erza, Natsu, Gray, Levy and Lucy, "And it's not going to be easy for you to hear."

The five of them exchanged glances. Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand, holding it firmly.

"Lisanna has been brought back to the police station," Minerva informed them, "In a vest of explosives."

"Samuel and Dan are telling police the other girls are hidden around town," Jellal continued, "And that they will detonate them all at midnight if…"

His voice trailed off as he glanced at Levy and Lucy.

"If you don't hand us over with the keys," Lucy finished. Her face was draining of colour. Levy reached over and took her other hand, her face also extremely pale.

Jellal nodded.

"That's not happening!" Natsu exclaimed emphatically, "There's no way we're doing that!"

"It doesn't matter if we give them the keys," Erza reminded them, "There's nothing in the storeroom anymore. In fact, we've turned over all the gold bars _we_ had over to the police and told them where the balance of the real bars are."

"That's true," Gajeel said slowly, "And Sam and Dan don't know that."

Natsu glanced at Jellal, "You're not going to send Lucy and Levy to the docks."

"If we all went, they'd be heavily protected," Jellal said slowly.

"NO!" Natsu yelled, "It's NOT an option!"

"Sit down, Natsu!" Gajeel warned, "We're just thinking things out right now. Nobody is sending anyone anywhere right now."

Natsu sat down, but his face was red with anger. Lucy curled her body closer to his, needing his strength, yet offering him her strength.

"I'll go," Levy said quietly.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her.

"No!" Gajeel exclaimed, "Absolutely not!"

Natsu shot him a look as if to say, 'now who's being defensive'?

Levy stood up, pacing for a moment as she thought things out, "I'll go. I'll take the keys to the docks. The keys are useless anyway. They'll see that Lucy isn't with me and I'll tell them Lucy will not be appearing until the hostages are released and the bombs are deactivated."

"Why would they do that?" Lucy stood up angrily, "Lev, they don't want you! They want me! And if you go, they'll kill you to make a point or take you as a hostage too!"

"She's right," Gajeel said. Those had been his thoughts too. Angel or not, he didn't want anything to happen to Levy.

"The only option," Lucy announced bravely, letting go of Natsu's hand, "is for me to go."

Natsu shook his head emphatically, "No! That's not happening! Luce, there's got to be another way!"

Gajeel and Erik each grabbed a shoulder from their place behind him on the couch, trying to keep him still.

"There's not," she said sadly, giving Natsu a small smile, "It's okay, Natsu. I'll take the keys to Dan. Once the hostages and Magnolia are safe, I'll find a way to escape. I always do."

Natsu was struggling, elbowing Gajeel in the stomach. Finally, both Erik and Gajeel released their grip. Natsu had anger passing through his eyes. It was a new emotion…one that he'd only experienced once before when he fought with Gray, and it was nowhere near as powerful as this feeling.

"We still have 4 hours," Jellal reminded them, "Gajeel and I will go to Sting and we'll work on finding the other girls. Let's see what the Magnolia Police have to contribute."

" _That_ could be another plan!" Natsu's voice squeaked with absolute desperation, "We could send in Jellal and Sting as decoys! Same colours of hair! Just cut apart a coconut for Sting to wear…and Jellal…well, he wouldn't need anything at all…and send them in!"

Levy shot Natsu a look of utter contempt, folding her arms over her chest protectively.

Gajeel was impressed that Natsu was observant enough to think of coconuts…but he was rather insulted at the latter part of his statement.

Jellal was fighting a smile. He was a foot taller than Levy. Sting was at least 6 inches taller than Lucy. It would never work. But he admired Natsu's resolve to protect Lucy.

"We'll try to find another way," he promised Natsu, "In the meantime…Erik, Minerva, Erza, and Wendy…let's go search the town for the girls. Maybe we can get to them and lessen the threat to Magnolia."

"I can help with that too," Gajeel said.

Jellal shook his head at Gajeel, "You need to come with me."

Gajeel nodded. Natsu wondered if anyone _ever_ questioned Jellal.

"We're going to see Sting first," Jellal told Levy, Gray, Natsu and Lucy, "Stay here. Don't leave the house under _any_ circumstances."

He walked out the door, the others following him.

"Why does Erza get to go?" Gray yelled behind them.

The door slammed.

"I don't like this," Natsu growled.

Levy was glaring at him, her arms still folded across her chest. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared, unrelenting. Natsu cringed.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Natsu said quietly.

He retreated from Pissed-Off-Levy to the safety of Lucy's back, cowering behind her. Pissed-Off-Levy wasn't _nearly_ as awesome…when it was _him_ that she was pissed off at.

Gray paced the floor, "I don't like this either. If they're planning to make a getaway at midnight with you two," he gestured between Lucy and Levy, "Then that means the other hostages don't have a lot of time."

He headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Levy yelled, "We were told to stay here."

Gray turned, halfway down the stairs, catching her eye over the banister. There was a forlorn look in his eyes that broke Levy's heart, "Juvia's out there…and she's in a lot of trouble. I can't sit here and wait for instructions anymore. We've already waited too long."

The door slammed a second time.

Levy sighed heavily. Natsu pulled Lucy a little closer. None of them could think of a thing to say, so they sat in silence.

* * *

Gajeel and Jellal had called Sting and Rogue again, arranging to meet them at the station. Jet and Droy had been posted outside the police station to prevent Samuel and Dan from making another surprise entrance. They eyed Gajeel and Jellal as they walked up the stairs and into the station.

The 8-Island employees were sitting in the observation room again. They'd been told to wait there as a bomb squad took a look at Lisanna's vest. Sting and Rogue were in the room awaiting news when Gajeel and Jellal caught up to them.

"We can't get into it without detonation," Gildarts told Sting, "Whoever set this up has done this before. We've taken finger prints off of the vest and sent it to see if we can get a match…but we can't deactivate the vest and we can't take it off of her. It's rigged to blow with any tampering."

Lisanna cried out at this news, making her friends' heads turn. They could the officers talking in the other room. Finally, Jet was called to the room. He listened to what Sting said, then approached the 8-Island employees.

"We're going to have to move all of you to a safer location," Jet said.

"I'm not going," Cana said.

The others looked back to her.

"Whatever happens to Lisanna will happen to me too," Loke stated.

"That goes the same for me," Mest announced.

"And me," Kinana agreed.

"It's great you're being so brave and all," Gildarts said, joining them, "But you're not being given a choice. This bomb is going to level the entire police station, possibly the surrounding buildings."

"And she's not going to face it alone!" Cana snapped.

Glancing from face to face, Jet, Droy and Gildarts all heaved out a big sigh.

"If it was me, I wouldn't want to face it alone either," Gildarts said to Jet and Droy. He saluted, then wandered off to get a coffee.

"It's not due to go off for a few hours," Jet said, "We'll all wait here with her, but when midnight is coming, you all have to leave. Promise me, and I'll go talk to Sting."

One by one, he got his nods of promise.

Jet went back to the room and talked to Sting for a few minutes. A moment later, Lisanna was escorted out of the room and brought to her friends.

Lisanna burst into tears, her friends comforting her. The police officers were at a loss.

Sting turned to Gajeel and Jellal, "Let's go to my office."

* * *

Dan and Samuel met up with the rest of their group at the cabin.

"Got our girls all set up?" Samuel asked Jackal.

Jackal cackled, a grin lighting his face. His arm was bandaged. The cut hadn't been deep, but it sure bled, "There's enough boom in those vests to level a city block!"

Samuel nodded. Jackal had been the demolition expert for Jose's gang for as long as he could remember. His work was renowned in the criminal underworld. If Jackal said it was set up, Magnolia was in serious trouble if they wouldn't give in to their demands.

"You've got the sea plane secured?" he asked Kyoka.

She nodded.

"And our hostages are in place?"

Kyoka nodded again. Lisanna was at the police station. Virgo was locked in a dumpster at the mall. Juvia was inside the storage unit on the dock…to be used as an immediate threat if things went haywire. Laki was being held at the cabin as a last resort hostage.

Dan and Samuel turned to Sorano. She was not only good at hand to hand combat, but she was technologically inclined.

She spoke before they even addressed her, "The infrared lights have been installed all over the dock areas and the cabin area. If your 'ghosts' show up, you'll see them coming."

Dan and Samuel nodded, pleased. They turned their glance to Ezel, and Jackal: their bruisers, "Are you ready?"

Nodding, Jackal and Ezel cracked their knuckles.

Dan pointed a finger at them, "The two of you need to stay here on the docks to help with whatever happens when they bring Lucy and Levy to us. You're our protection, so stay close. Anyone approaching the docks is fair game. Aim to kill. Except for Lucy and Levy. We need them alive."

"Kyoka," Samuel continued, "You'll need to stay near the docks for our getaway, preferably in the airplane. Sorano, you go back to the cabin and stay with Laki. We'll let you know if we need that leverage. If all goes well, we'll let you know and give you 10 minutes head start before we blow her bomb."

"You'll all be handsomely rewarded," Samuel promised, "Just like I said you would be. Even better, Phantom Lord will rise again. As soon as we have the gold bars sold on the black market, we're back in business, just like Porla wants."

"And what about _him?"_ Ezel grunted, pointing at Dan who was staring at his picture of Lucy. He had wandered away from the plan scheming. Dan was the strategist. Samuel was the enforcer. He already knew the plan and had no need to listen anymore.

Samuel sighed happily, "Once we have the gold bars and the location of the warehouse, we can finally get rid of him."

* * *

Dan had moved away from Samuel's orders for a reason other than looking at his picture of Lucy. He held the cell phone in his hand, an ear piece inserted in his ear.

"It's me," he said, "Everything is going down tonight in Magnolia. Lucy and Levy are to present themselves to the docks at midnight or Samuel will blow up the city."

" _I'm on my way,"_ the voice on the other end said, " _I don't care what happens to Levy. Just get Lucy and meet me at the clearing outside of town. The cops are long gone from there. It's a good place to finish this. Once I have the keys, you're free to do whatever you want with Lucy."_

"Okay," Dan said, glancing back at the group of people on the docks, "But you're still gonna give us our part, right?"

" _I already told you you'll get what's coming to you_ ," the voice said, " _You'll get your share."_

"Okay. I've got to get going. I love –"

There was a click on the other end of the phone. Dan furrowed his eyebrows, taking the ear piece out of his ear. Excitement flowed through his veins.

"It won't be long now, Lulu," he said, gazing at the picture in his hand for real now, "I have missed you so much. Finally…we'll start our lives together."

* * *

Gray was in the shadows. He had heard most of the conversation, although not all. He couldn't approach the docks any closer due to the infrared lights that were set up.

But he'd heard enough. He heard 'dumpster by mall', 'cabin', and 'storage unit on the docks'. His heart nearly stopped as he realized he knew where Juvia was.

Ezel and Jackal were still pacing the docks.

He moved back out of earshot and eyesight, taking out his cell phone.

"Gajeel, it's me, you freakin' idiot! Don't you ever answer your phone? I'm at the docks. They have the hostages in different locations. I heard something about a dumpster by the mall and a cabin somewhere. I think they've got Juvia at the docks. I'm going after her."

 _Click._

Gray put his cell on vibrate in case Gajeel tried to call him back. He really didn't need the phone going off in the middle of his rescue attempt. Flitting into the _shadows,_ he went along the underside of the dock to get closer to the storage unit.

He really hoped Gajeel would listen to his messages for once.


	51. Chapter 51

_**Just want to thank all my loyal readers once again for reading: the ones who read silently, the ones who faithfully comment,**_

 _ **and the ones who just simply 'like' and 'follow'. We're getting to the climax now. I'm almost finished writing it (although**_

 _ **there's still several chapters left to post). This chapter is almost like a turning point...where our heroes are going to start setting the tone for how the story**_

 _ **will end. Consider this a bonus chapter because I appreciate you.**_

 _ **I hope you'll find the ending to this story as beautiful and riveting as I do...Thank you everyone.**_

 _ **~ShanaHollows~**_

* * *

"Our people are spread throughout around town, looking for the hostages," Jellal said once the door to Sting's office was closed, "Unfortunately, it's a large city. Finding them will be like looking for needles in a haystack."

"The bomb on Lisanna is tight," Rogue said, "Our bomb expert, Gildarts Clive, can't crack it. If we try to remove the vest, it'll blow. If he tries to get to the wiring, it'll blow. If your people can diffuse the bomb vests, I welcome them to try. How in the heck are they even going to know where to start looking?"

Jellal glanced at Gajeel, "Get Wendy on the phone. Tell her to start with Lisanna's bomb."

Gajeel nodded, excusing himself to make the phone call.

"We have ways of detecting bombs," Jellal promised, "We'll find them. And if we can't diffuse them, then we'll get them out of the city."

"Would it help if our units were deployed too?" Rogue asked.

Jellal shook his head, "We work better alone."

Sting and Rogue glanced at each other, unsure what to think of the incredibly confident blue-haired man in front of them.

"Lucy and Levy said that they will meet with Dan and Samuel. They have the keys to the storage unit that used to house the gold bars we gave to you this afternoon," Jellal continued, "Dan and Samuel don't know the keys are useless."

Sting nodded, "That's good. It gives us a bit of leverage, but it's a little dangerous to just turn Lucy and Levy over, isn't it?"

"Not if we can find the hostages," Gajeel said, joining them again, "Wendy is nearby. She'll be here shortly."

"If we can disable the bombs and/or remove them from the city," Jellal continued Gajeel's thoughts, "Then we don't need Lucy and Levy to make an appearance. We'll simply take the entire group down at once."

"You make it sound so easy," Rogue said, shaking his head, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"We'll find them," Jellal promised, "It's unlikely they'll take all the hostages to the docks tonight. They'll have an out of the way base. And also a means of escape. This is where you come in."

Sting and Rogue exchanged glances again. These people, whoever they were, were _impressive._

"So what do you want us to do?" Sting said finally.

"We need support in the water," Jellal said, "Making the meeting place at the docks only leaves them one route of escape. I'd also like back up along the shoreline buildings…just in case things go wrong, we'll block all the escape routes. But you have to stay out of sight until we need you. The goal, of course, will be to end this with no casualties. Not even Dan and Sam and their crew."

"Is that even possible?" Rogue asked incredulously.

Gajeel nodded, "It's our goal."

Sting shook his head, unsure if he believed what he was hearing, "And how do I get a hold of you?"

Jellal waved as he and Gajeel turned to go, "We'll find you," he promised, "If you need us, call Gajeel's cell."

The door shut behind them.

"These people are insane," Rogue sighed, "What do we do? Do we trust them?"

Sting shook his head, "I don't know what to think. But their strategy has the right idea. We'll get water support and land units in place. We need to block off escape routes. What happens from there…I guess we'll find out the hard way."

* * *

Cana walked away from the officers and the 8-Island employees to sit at a table by herself. She sighed heavily. She had that feeling again…the one of darkness and a dangerous feeling of bad things that were about to happen. She glanced back at Lisanna, who was rightfully scared out of her mind.

She took out her cards, shuffling them well before laying them on the table.

"Do they say the same thing?" Kinana asked, joining her at the table.

"Some of it is the same," Cana confirmed, "But there's something else this time."

Kinana leaned forward, gazing at the cards she definitely couldn't read.

"I'm looking at Lisanna right now," Cana said, "It appears that there is imminent danger, which I think we can safely say is true…but I don't think it's going to end badly for her. There's something else here…I can't figure out what it means."

"Look at Juvia," Kinana suggested.

Cana reshuffled her cards, glancing nervously back at Lisanna, who was deep in conversation with an officer by the name of Bixslow. He held both her hands, trying to comfort her.

She laid her cards out a second time, "I see redemption. Not for Juvia, but someone who is close beside her."

"Virgo?" Kinana asked.

Cana shook her head, "No. Someone else."

She flipped the next card, "The death card again."

Cana and Kinana exchanged glances.

"Is it…for Juvia?" Kinana asked slowly.

Cana shook her head, "I can't be sure. But there's something else in this reading too. It's been consistent in both of these readings and the one I did at the restaurant. I can't explain it."

She flipped another card, "Heartbreak."

"I don't understand," Kinana said slowly.

"Neither do I," Cana shook her head, "It doesn't make sense."

"So what about Lucy?" Kinana asked, catching Cana's gaze. They were all worried about Lucy. They hadn't seen her in days, but somehow, they were all connected to her in the middle of whatever this mess was.

Cana took a deep breath, shuffling her cards one more time.

"It's almost the same reading," Cana said slowly as she flipped the cards, "Heartache and redemption and death…and then the cards that were common in all the readings that I can't explain."

"What are the common cards?" Kinana ventured to ask.

Cana looked up into Kinana's eyes, "Angels."

Kinana let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, "I think…that means there's hope."

Cana hoped so.

Kinana frowned, "None of the pictures of Angels you have show them with wings."

"I believe most Angels _do_ have wings," Cana said, "In fact my mentor believed that Angels don't generally _need_ their wings…but they can be summoned in times of dire need. Most Angels have never seen the legendary wings."

Kinana nodded, "Strange that all of us humans picture Angels as having wings then."

Cana glanced at her, "It's comforting though, right? To think that Angels are watching and protecting us?"

At that moment, the doors opened and a young girl strode into the police station. She glanced about, spotting Lisanna. She approached with a warm smile. Sting and Rogue entered the station immediately afterward.

Cana and Kinana stood up from the table. Cana gathered her cards and the two of them walked back to Lisanna's chair.

Police officers stood in front of Lisanna.

"How did you get in?" Bixslow demanded, "We have officers outside preventing _anyone_ from getting in!"

"It's okay," Rogue said, "She's with us."

"My name is Wendy," she said, a smile on her pretty face, "I'm here to help."

Something about the young girl spread a peace throughout the room. Bixslow, Droy and Jet lowered their guard. They had all been ready to tackle her...a tiny little blue-haired girl who couldn't be older than sixteen years old. Sting and Rogue stood behind her as she approached Lisanna. But nobody asked her any more questions as she knelt down on the floor beside her.

"Hello Lisanna," she said sweetly.

Her long blue hair reached to the floor. Lisanna couldn't help admiring it as she regarded the pretty little girl in front of her. Her eyes emitted a sense of peace and protection.

"Don't be afraid," Wendy said softly, taking the shaking girl's hand, "Everything is going to be okay."

* * *

Crime Sorciere was scouring the city for places that hostages might be held. It was a losing battle. Even Erik, with his Aura, could not pinpoint unusual activity that might indicate a hostage's location.

"There's got to be a way to pinpoint their locations!" Jellal sat down on the ledge of the old apartment building they'd helped Lucy and Levy vacate only two days prior.

"There's too many people on the street," Erik sighed, "I can't pinpoint them with so many people out and about."

"We're running out of time," Gajeel grunted.

"Okay," Erza said, trying to gather her thoughts, "They would want places where there's people, right? If the bombs go off, they'll want to hurt as many people as possible."

"Not necessarily," Minerva argued, "Their point is to get what they want. I have a feeling they'll blow the bombs either way."

Everyone went quiet, desperately asking the Heavens to give them a clue…any clue to set them in the right direction.

In the darkness of his pocket, Gajeel's phone blinked. There was a voicemail from Gray there, just waiting to be discovered.

* * *

Lucy and Natsu were sitting on the couch. His head was on her lap as she stroked absentmindedly at his hair. Levy sat in the chair across from them, deep in thought.

"This waiting sucks!" Natsu announced, sitting up. He put his elbows on his knees and grabbed his head with both hands, "I don't care what Mr. Know-It-All-Doover says, Luce…you're not going to the docks tonight."

Lucy cocked her head at the unusual term. She'd heard it more than once now. What was a Doover?

"Natsu," Levy said, "Crime Sorciere is doing everything they can to make sure we never come into contact with Dan, Samuel, or anyone from their group. We just have to trust them."

"I would have run a long time ago if it wasn't for all of you," Lucy said quietly, "I don't like this any more than you do, Natsu…but you were the one who encouraged me to stay. You were the one who wanted me to trust you."

He sat back down beside her, taking her hand, "I'm sorry, Luce."

She smiled down at him. Levy frowned. Something had definitely changed between them.

"Where _are_ the keys?" Lucy asked, "I assume since you went to the storage unit, one of you has them."

Levy took the keys from her pocket, offering them to her.

Lucy shook her head, "They're no good to me now. The memories that used to tie the keys to my mother are tainted now. I wish you would have leveled with me, Levy. We've been friends for a long time."

"I'm sorry," Levy said, sitting on the other side of Lucy, "I wish I could've. I just…saw the opportunity where someone could help us and took it. I'm tired of running."

Lucy shook her head, "I am too. It's the worst feeling in the world knowing that _I_ caused this. Lisanna, Juvia, Virgo and Laki might die because of me. Magnolia could suffer major damages tonight…because of me. Your life has been ruined. Countless other lives are gone. Because of me."

Both Levy and Natsu looked at her.

"I need a minute alone," she said softly, tears edging in her eyes, "I'm going to the bathroom."

Natsu stood up, "We can go talk in your bedroom."

She shook her head, "I just need to be alone."

Natsu looked solemnly at Levy when she'd left the room, "Levy…"

"I know, Natsu. I don't what to do either," Levy sighed, "Part of me wants to run again. The other part knows we need to make our stand."

She watched him carefully as he fumbled with his fingers. It was an awkward silence, lasting several minutes.

"Natsu…did you tell her? That you're an Angel?"

Natsu looked up, "No. I've almost told her twice. Every time I come close, something happens and I don't get to finish."

"Something has changed between you. You're acting differently with her...overprotective. You slept with her, didn't you?" Levy asked.

Natsu nodded, looking down again.

"Natsu, you know –"

"I KNOW!" he muttered, "But I love her. And you have to understand, Levy…we need _each other_. She's the only person who has ever loved me…I'm the only person who has loved her since her mother died. Besides you. But it's _different_!"

Levy nodded, pain etching through her eyes, "But you know it _can't_ be forever. What will you do when you have to go back to Heaven?"

Natsu's eyes clouded with tears, "I don't know, Lev. I guess a part of me hopes I won't _have_ to go back. I didn't belong there, Levy. I screwed up everything I did. It's different here…with Lucy. We belong to each other. She _needs_ me. She said so herself! I've helped her smile again. She's learned to laugh. I need her too. I'm nobody in Heaven. I'm a joke. I might only mean something to Lucy here, but I'd rather mean something to only Lucy than be ridiculed and laughed at in Heaven. And if I'm forced back to Heaven, what will happen to Lucy? She'll lose her smile again. She'll have nobody. I mean…you might stick around, but…"

His voice trailed off. Tears edged his eyes, dripping down onto his knees. He tried to wipe them away, but more came in their stead.

Levy leaned over, drawing him in for a hug. She didn't know what to say. As much as she agreed with him, she didn't make the rules of Heaven.

"I don't want to be _the Angel of Oops_ anymore," he murmured into her shoulder, "I just want to be with Lucy."

They hugged for a few minutes. Natsu was so upset, Levy found herself using _presence_ on him. He needed the calm reassurance. Everything would work out somehow.

Levy sat straight up, "Natsu…what you need to understand is that you're not a joke. Not to me, not to Gajeel, not to Erza, and not to Gray. You have accomplished some pretty major things in your short time here in Earthland. No more _Angel of Oops._ You've made lasting friendships with all of us. And all of us will protect you in Heaven. As for Lucy…."

Levy stopped in her train of thought, glancing around, "Lucy's been gone for awhile now," she said, eyebrows furrowing.

They both stood up, heading for the bathroom. Natsu's tears were forgotten as they began to panic. The door was wide open. Nobody was inside.

"Luce!" Natsu yelled out.

There was no answer.

"Oh my Mavis," Levy breathed out. The door to the garage was wide open too. Gajeel's car, which had been parked on the street was also gone.

"She's gone to the docks!" Natsu half-yelled, heading out the door.

Levy was right behind. She grabbed her cell phone, dialing Gajeel's number immediately.

* * *

Lucy had found Gajeel's car keys and was driving his car down the road toward the docks. She didn't want to be responsible for any more heartache or death. It seemed the only way out was to turn herself over to Dan and Samuel. She felt bad for betraying Natsu, but she knew he would never let her go. She didn't want anything bad to happen to him if he did, by some miracle, agree to let her go to the docks. No, it was better if she went alone.

She had to go. It was the only way to stop this once and for all.

She wasn't incredibly good at driving Gajeel's car. It was a standard and being that she and Levy had been on the run pretty much all of their adult life, she hadn't exactly had a lot of driving experience. She didn't even have a licence, but she figured tonight, the police had their hands full of other issues and nobody was going to stop her.

She ground the gears as she made her way through town, keeping to the back roads…just in case someone saw her.

Her nerves were starting to bite at her. She willed herself not to think about it. It was necessary. For Natsu. For Levy.

Taking a deep breath, she parked the car several hundred metres back from the docks to take the surroundings. It wasn't time yet. For now, she would just observe. She let out a silent prayer.

She reached over to the glove compartment, trying to open it. It was locked. She used Gajeel's car keys. The compartment opened. As she suspected, there was a revolver insider. She pocketed it hesitantly, put the keys back in the ignition in case she needed a quick getaway, then got out of the car. It was time to go confront Samuel and Dan. Hopefully, they would already be there even if it was a few minutes early. She knew the others would be hot on her heels. If she could help it, she wanted to be gone by the time they arrived. She didn't want anyone involved anymore. Too many people had been hurt. She determined tonight it would end...one way or another.

* * *

Wendy sat with Lisanna on the floor. They were alone. She had used _compel_ to send everyone else to another room, even Sting and Rogue. She needed to speak with Lisanna on her own.

The girl's white hair was soaking with sweat. Her face was etched in fear. She'd cried out most of her tears and now, her body simply shook.

"Lisanna," Wendy said, catching her attention.

Lisanna looked her dead in the eyes. Wendy let her body glow, a luminescent blue aura surrounding her. Lisanna's eyes widened.

"I know you're scared. And you have every right to be. But you need to know that you're not alone," Wendy smiled gently, sending vibes of peace throughout Lisanna's body, "And you're not going to die tonight. It's not your time. I can't explain to you what I'm going to do, so I need you to trust me, okay?"

Lisanna nodded, feeling comfort and warmth surround her body. Wendy closed her eyes, grabbing both of Lisanna's hands. Lisanna followed Wendy's lead, closing her eyes. She tried not to burst into tears as she waited for whatever was going to happen, but it was a futile attempt. She was terrified, even with the peace and warmth flowing in the air. Would it hurt to die? Would she feel the bomb tear apart her body? Would she be aware of the last moments? How many people would die with her?

Wendy used _transport_ , concentrating on only Lisanna and leaving the vest behind. They only transported two feet, but Lisanna collapsed into tears as she saw the vest lying harmlessly on the floor beside her…amidst her clothing. Immediately, Wendy retrieved her clothing. Lisanna got dressed slowly, panic still in her eyes as she eyed the vest.

"I have to get this out of here," Wendy said softly, picking up the vest, then pausing to give her a hug, "I'll be sure to tell your brother and sister if I see them what a beautiful young woman you've become."

Lisanna looked into the eyes of the young girl again, "My brother…my sister…"

"Yes. They're Angels now, Lisanna. They are _so proud of you_ for being so brave. I'm an Angel too. Take comfort in knowing that you're being looked after. You'll be okay."

Wendy released Lisanna from the hug and headed for the doors with the vest in her arms, Lisanna staring wide-eyed after her. As Wendy exited the door, she flicked her wrist, erasing Lisanna's memory of the last 10 minutes, but leaving the peaceful feeling. Wendy transported to the forest to get the vest a safe distance away.

Moments later, it seemed like time unfroze as the police officers assigned to protect the people in the station and the 8-Island employees flooded back into the room.

"The vest is gone!" Kinana gasped.

"And so is Wendy," Loke said, glancing out the glass doors.

Lisanna stood alone with a look on her face that could only be explained as a cross between confusion and tranquillity.

Kinana gave Lisanna a hug, "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Bixslow put a hand on her back, "Are you alright?"

Lisanna was still staring at the door. A deep sense of peace flooded through her. She wasn't crying or shaking anymore as she nodded slowly, "I don't understand…how?"

Cana followed her gaze to the glass doors that Wendy must have left from. A surge of comfort passed through the station, making everyone feel relieved that the immediate danger for Lisanna had passed.

A small smile on her lips, Cana joined the rest of the 8-Island crew as they hugged and cried tears of absolute relief with Lisanna.

She understood the tarot message now.


	52. Chapter 52

_**OKAY...SO I KNOW I'M POSTING 3 DAYS IN A ROW, BUT THERE IS A VALID REASON...**_

 ** _I'M GOING ON A BUSINESS TRIP OVER THE WEEKEND AND I'M NOT POSTING AGAIN TIL MONDAY!_**

 ** _THIS CHAPTER IS ALSO ACTION-PACKED AND SUPER-CHARGED...HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!_**

 ** _SURPRISE ME! LET'S SEE HOW MANY COMMENTS AND LIKES WE CAN RACK UP! I'LL REPLY TO IT ALL ON MONDAY!_**

 ** _~SHANAHOLLOWS~_**

* * *

Gray hopped over the handrails of the dock silently, using the _shadows_ to disguise him. Dan and Samuel were on the other side of the storehouse with two of their goons. He glanced down into the water. There was a sea plane there. A beautiful young woman sat in the pilot's seat, playing with her cell phone.

 _The getaway pilot_ , he realized.

There were still a few minutes before midnight. He wanted to see if Juvia was in the storage shed and get her to safety before trying to sabotage Dan and Samuel's escape. Flitting to the door of the storage unit, he noted the heavy locks on the door. He would have to find a way to break them. He used the shadows to flit inside a slightly ajar window. Juvia was lying on the floor. Her hands and feet were bound, but she wasn't moving anyway.

He couldn't untie her in _shadow_ form. And it might really creep her out if he did it in _transparency_. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the shadows in solid form, stooping to examine her.

Her face was a mess. She had an ugly gash on her forehead. A vest enveloped her torso with a ticking clock. He froze, realizing the clock was down to 15 minutes. He wiped a smear of blood from her face.

"My Mavis, Juves…what have they done to you?"

He worked on her bindings, releasing her before scooping her up into his arms and giving her a firm hug. Her breathing was shallow. He was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to see his face in the darkness.

"Wake up, Juves," he urged softly.

She stirred, crying out as she realized someone was holding her. She struggled, trying to push him away. Her strength was minimal though. Gray realized she was very injured. "It's okay," he soothed, sending _presence_ through her, "I'm here to help you."

"I can't see you," she whimpered. Her head still ached, although it was a lot better than before. She guessed it was more the bruising that she had sustained, "Who are you?"

"I'm going to get you out of here," he promised, "I have to leave you for a few minutes. But I'll be back as soon as I can."

She whimpered again, her hand clenching his shirt.

"I'll be back for you," he promised. He laid her down on the floor as gently as he could and flitted back out of the storage house.

He wouldn't be able to get her out of the locked room. Gray had to find a way to break the lock in order to get her out. _Without_ alerting the plane pilot and the men on the dock.

* * *

Crime Sorciere was getting impatient. Erik was still scanning the city, looking for any clue that might indicate a bomb or a hostage was nearby. They were completely stumped. Wendy had just rejoined the group, informing them that at least one of the bombs were diffused. It was not very much cause to celebrate. Time was running out.

"Call Sting," Jellal said, "We're getting too close to the deadline. We've got to consult with him over likelihood of casualties. If bombs start to go off, they have to be ready to deal with the aftermath. We also need to get back to the house. We might need Lucy and Levy here, whether Natsu approves or not."

Gajeel pulled out his phone to dial the number, frowning as he saw the blinking light, "I missed calls from Shrimp and Gray."

"Well, _retrieve your messages then!"_ Minerva rolled her eyes. Crime Sorciere were constantly picking on Gajeel, who had a reputation for being hard to reach.

Gajeel dialed into his messages. The rest of Crime Sorciere gathered around as his eyes got wider and wider.

"Gray knows the whereabouts of the hostages," he said slowly, "There's a garbage bin at the mall…and a cabin somewhere out in the woods, close to town. He thinks Juvia is on the docks. He's going after her. Shrimp says Lucy has disappeared and she and Natsu figure she's headed for the docks too. They're on their way there now."

Jellal sighed in frustration. None of them listened to orders well. He motioned to Erik and Wendy, "See if you can pick up fresh trails out to the woods somewhere. Look for a cabin. Wendy, you go with Erik. Gajeel, take Minerva and head for the mall. Start checking dumpsters. Erza, we need to get to the docks."

They broke apart, each pair running in a different direction.

"We need to find Gray, Natsu and Levy," Jellal yelled back to Erza as they ran, "and we've got to stop Lucy from doing something really stupid!"

* * *

Her steps were shaky as Lucy made her way onto the docks, hoping Dan and his goons were already there. It was 11:45pm. She knew the others would be following behind her shortly. She needed to make the deal now before they could stop her.

"Lulu!" Dan exclaimed as she can into view, "You look so beautiful! Your eyes! Your lips! Your body!"

"Shut up!" Jackal rolled his eyes, glancing at Samuel, "Seriously…how do you put up with him?"

Samuel nodded, prompting Ezel and Jackal to go grab her arms to keep her still.

"Don't come near me, "Lucy warned, "You need to listen to what I have to say first," she pulled out Gajeel's gun, pointing it to her own head, "If you don't listen, I'll kill myself right now. And your chances at the gold bars die with me."

"Clever girl," Samuel mused, "You do acknowledge you'll die at some point, right? If you kill yourself, we'll just search your body for the keys and get the bars anyway."

Lucy shook her head, "But you'll never know where the gold bars are hidden. I didn't bring the keys with me. I'll tell you where the keys are, and you can have the gold bars, but we're going to do this _my_ way."

Samuel and Dan exchanged looks. Both Ezel and Jackal were itching to get to her, but they stayed still as Samuel's halting hand came out.

"We're listening, Lulu," Dan said.

"Release the hostages," Lucy said, trying to hide the tremor in her voice, "I have to have acknowledgement that they're all free before anything else happens."

"No chance," Samuel half-yelled, "You'll get acknowledgement and then you'll disappear on us."

Lucy lowered the gun, letting out a heaving sigh, "I'll go with you willingly. Me and the gold bars in exchange for their lives. Your goons release them and return to the docks _without them_. Each girl calls in on my cell phone to confirm that they're free. Then I'll go with you. That also means you can't come after them when this is over. Or Levy."

"You're asking _us_ for an honour pact?" Samuel laughed gleefully, "You're pretty stupid if you think we won't go after Levy, just to shut her up. She knows too much. We'll kill the other bitches just to spite you."

"That's the deal," Lucy said, raising the gun again, "Levy doesn't know where the gold bars are. If I die now, the secret dies with me."

* * *

Erik had found some recently used paths on the east side of Magnolia. They were following the Aura path. Two of the paths had ended up being dead ends. They were on a new path now…one that had Erik excited because he recognized the same Aura from Juvia's apartment amongst several new Auras.

"There it is," Wendy pointed.

There was a small cabin up ahead. The lights were on inside. A chimney had smoke rising from it.

Erik motioned for her stay there for a minute as he surveyed the area. He could see the infrared glares from certain trees.

"We'll _transport_ in," he told Wendy, "They have infrared lights all over the outside here. We need to identify who's in there, where the hostage is, and then we'll need to split up. You get the hostage out of here. I'll try to save the kidnapper."

She nodded, getting ready to use _transport_.

"Wendy…" Erik said quietly.

"I'll be careful that she doesn't see me," Wendy promised.

They _transported_ inside the cabin, appearing in the kitchen. Erik nodded to Wendy and she took off, checking closets and closed doors by _transporting_ in and out of different rooms. Finally, at the end of the hall, she found the room with the purple haired girl in it. She was bound and gagged with another one of those vests strapped onto her. Wendy _transported_ back out to the hall and unlocked the door from there. The girl was struggling, sheltering her face from what she was sure would be another brutal attack. Wendy frowned, noting the bruises on her face. She bent down by the girl, stroking her hair soothingly as she used _presence_ to calm her.

Laki didn't understand why the door was open suddenly. Or why her bindings were coming undone. But she wasn't about to question it.

She got to her feet, glancing about nervously, then left the closet. The exit to the side was pad-locked shut. She would have to exit through the kitchen, which was probably where her captor was. Laki took a deep breath and headed for the light at the end of the hall.

Erik found Sorano in the kitchen. He used _presence_ on her, and then _whisper_ and _compel_.

 _You don't have to do anything bad here. You could let the girl go._

Sorano glanced around, wondering why she would think such a thing. She took another sip of her coffee and went back to her crossword puzzle.

Erik and Wendy exchanged worried glances as Laki peered at Sorano around the corner of the kitchen.

* * *

"There's four of us and one of you," Jackal taunted, "We'll take you down and make you talk. Besides, you don't have the guts to pull the trigger on yourself."

Lucy's hand was shaking as she cocked the gun, "Try me. Let's see how close you can get before I pull the trigger."

Samuel exchanged glances with Dan, Jackal, and Ezel. They spread out around her, not coming closer, but definitely surrounding her.

* * *

Gajeel and Minerva were working fast, methodically checking every dumpster they came across surrounding the mall.

"I've got her!" Gajeel yelled, "This is the only dumpster that's locked!"

Minerva ran to the dumpster that Gajeel stood at. He was examining the lock.

"Can you get it open?" she asked.

Gajeel nodded, his hands transforming into a crowbar, "Stand back."

He smashed into the lock and pried it, cracking the lock apart. They removed the chains quickly and opened the lid.

Virgo was struggling inside the dumpster. She was blindfolded and her limbs were bound. She wore a vest similar to the one Lisanna had worn. She had cuts down her arms…straight ones and jagged ones. He frowned. What had they done to her?

"I'm going to let her see me," Gajeel said, "She needs to know we're here in order to get that vest off of her. Back me up with _presence."_

Minerva nodded. Gajeel jumped up onto the edge of the bin and jumped down inside, going solid.

"Hey," he said gently, removing her gag, "My name is Gajeel and I'm here to help you."

Virgo screamed as the gag came off.

He sent out a _presence_ vibe, "I'm not going to hurt you," he promised.

He took off her blindfold. She couldn't see him well because of how dark it was, but she turned her back to let him undo her arm bindings.

"What's your name?" he asked softly.

"Virgo," she replied, panic in her voice, "I don't know how you found me…but there's 3 other girls kidnapped. We all have bombs attached to us. They're going to kill us!"

"Shhh!" he soothed. He undid the bindings at her ankles, "My team is retrieving them as we speak. We're going to concentrate on you, okay?"

Virgo nodded, a peace settling over her.

"I'm going to get this vest off," Gajeel said, "You're going to have to trust me, okay? Close your eyes. Don't open them for anything."

She nodded.

He inspected the vest. It was exactly like the one Lisanna had had on. He remembered Wendy's story of using _transport_ to help Lisanna get out of it.

"How did you get those cuts on your arms?" Gajeel asked.

"The people who kidnapped us," she said softly, "They were angry because we broke a glass and tried to use the shards for protection. They used me as an example of what will happen if we try something like that again."

He went to her back, enveloping her in a hug.

"They won't hurt you anymore. I promise," he said.

Her body was tense and her heart was racing. The strange man was enveloping her body completely. In any other circumstance, she would kicking him into next week.

"I'm going to count to 3," he said into her ear, "At 3, you're going to be outside of the dumpster and the vest will be gone. I'll toss your clothes out to you. Get dressed and run – don't walk – to the police station. You know where it is, right?"

Virgo nodded, her eyes still closed. _Wait…why would my clothes come off?_

"1," Gajeel counted.

"Hey Mister, what are you going to do? Why would my clothes come off?"

"2."

Virgo tried opening her eyes. Gajeel covered them lightly with his hands.

"Seriously - what kind of help is removing my clothes? How is that going to help?"

"3."

Instantly, she found herself outside of the dumpster, but she had no bomb vest and no clothes on. True to his word, he tossed her clothes overtop.

Virgo was thoroughly confused, but she didn't question it as she put her clothes back on quickly.

"Go to the police station," he reminded her, "and don't look back."

She nodded, dashing off in the direction of the police station.

Gajeel reappeared beside Minerva.

"Let's follow her to make sure she gets to the cop shop," Minerva said, "Then we head to the docks."

Gajeel nodded, taking off after Virgo down the alley.

* * *

Gray moved into _transparency_ , knowing the men surrounding Lucy would see him as he charged since the dock was covered in infrared light, but he had no choice. Lucy was slowly squeezing the trigger as they came closer. She was shaking, tears flowing freely down her face. She had really hoped they wouldn't call her on her bluff, and now she had no choice but to follow through.

Gray realized the one called Ezel was pulling his own gun, intending to shoot Lucy in the leg. It would keep her from killing herself, but would also disable her enough that they could force her to tell them about the gold bars. Gray charged at full speed, barreling into his hand. The man was huge though – he didn't even flinch. But the sudden appearance of someone from absolutely nowhere was shocking enough that the bullet that he shot missed Lucy by a long shot.

Gray turned full circle, knocking the gun out of Ezel's hand with a round house kick. Another charging presence had barreled into _Lucy,_ knocking the gun from _her_ hand. A third presence picked Lucy's gun up, uncocking it, then throwing it over the edge of the dock into the water. She scrambled for Ezel's gun, pushing it over the ledge of the dock as Ezel bore down on her.

"Natsu! Levy!" Gray exclaimed.

Natsu was in the centre of the men with his arms around Lucy. Gray was on the edge between Dan and Samuel. Levy stood about 10 feet back at the edge of the dock, Ezel poised over her, ready to stomp on her head. The men all stared wide-eyed as Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and backed up against the storage house.

"Ghosts," Dan whispered, wide-eyed.

"GET THEM!" Samuel yelled, getting himself together.

"Let go of my Lulu!" Dan screamed, going after Natsu with a raised fist.

Natsu stood in front of Lucy, going _transparent._

Lucy's eyes widened as he pulled back a fist, blocking Dan's attack on him. He blocked a second punch, then turned around to get out of Dan's grasp.

"Hey Ghost!" Samuel yelled, noticing Gray had disappeared again into the shadows. Jackal cracked his knuckles, "How about coming out to play?"

Gray glanced toward the storehouse, taking a deep breath. He'd have to get back to her later.

Jackal took out a gun, aiming it at Natsu. He swore as he watched the bullet pass through his body, landing somewhere in the water behind him.

Levy used _transport_ , managing to move before Ezel's foot stomped down where her head had been only seconds ago. She reappeared behind him, jumping onto his back. He reached for her, unable to find her behind his back.

"Ghost!" Samuel called, still looking for Gray, "I don't know what your game is, but we have business to settle."

Gray needed to keep him away from the storehouse. He appeared down the dock toward Magnolia, then disappeared again. Samuel growled, following Gray.

Jackal had been standing back in a stupor. What in the hell were these people? He didn't believe in ghosts, yet these people had been disappearing and reappearing at will.

Natsu had let go of Lucy and was circling Dan. Dan's eyes were wild with anger.

"Stay away from my Lulu!" he growled.

"She's not yours," Natsu replied.

Jackal held his gun poised, watching for the right moment, then aimed for Lucy, who was currently unattended. Suddenly someone was standing in his line of fire. He looked up, right into the eyes of Black Steel Gajeel. Minerva stood beside him, both of them eyeing him in challenge.

Levy was still on Ezel's back and he was still swinging at her.

"You take this guy and I'll go help Levy?" Gajeel asked.

Minerva nodded, eyeing Jackal. Gajeel went to face off with a man that was even larger than he.

* * *

Sting and Rogue were watching carefully the empty road ahead of them. Nothing was happening, but they were hardly expecting anything to happen...they were 2 blocks away from where things would happen. According to their new 'friends', they should stay back and wait to be told to react.

"This is stupid," Rogue said, slamming his hands on the dashboard of the truck, "Laki is out there. I need to find her instead of sitting here on the orders of some guy we don't even know!"

"I understand your frustration, Rogue," Sting sighed, "But they've been right about everything so far: the evidence _and_ getting the employees to the police station. Plus, they got Lisanna out of her vest. I don't know how, but they did it. I know it's stupid…but I'm beginning to trust them."

His cell phone went off. He bent down, reading the text message, then sighing with deep relief.

"Virgo just got to the police station. She's safe and bomb-free," he announced.

Rogue let out a sigh of relief too, but his mind was still on Laki.

"Shots fired at the dock," a voice said over the police intercom.

Rogue and Sting exited the vehicle and crouched in the shadows of a nearby building.

"We need to move forward," Rogue urged.

"Not yet," Sting said, "Give them just a little more time."

* * *

Laki was working hard not to breathe heavily as she regarded her captor at the kitchen table. Both Erik and Wendy were trying to figure out the best way to get her across without being noticed.

"We should get the bomb off first," Erik whispered to Wendy.

"I can get the vest off," Wendy confirmed, "but the guard will hear us. We need to ease her first. She's going to be one of tonight's victims."

Erik didn't question her on it. As it was Wendy's job to help ease people into the next phase of life, he accepted her analysis. Sorano would die before the night was over. They needed to try to save her.

She appeared in solid form, stepping out into the kitchen. Both Laki and Sorano tensed, noting her.

"Hello Sorano," Wendy said softly, "My name is Wendy."

Sorano whipped out her gun from behind her back, keeping it pointed at Wendy as she backed toward the hall where Laki waited for an opportunity to escape. Erik appeared in front of Laki, blocking Sorano's view of her.

"You're going to die tonight, Sorano," Wendy continued, taking a step toward her.

Sorano let a bullet go, eyes widening as it passed through Wendy's body.

"I'm here to help," Wendy said softly. She was also in front of Sorano, "You don't have to die a bad person, Sorano."

Sorano's gun was shaking in her hand, "Why would you say I'll be the one to die?"

"I'm an Angel," Wendy said, "I'm here to give you a choice: repent of your sins and pledge to pay the price for them and you'll be allowed to take your place in Heaven. I can see your heart, Sorano. I can see how killing is starting to bother you. You don't want to do it anymore. There's still time. Repent of your sins."

"And if I don't?" Sorano asked, backing away as Wendy kept approaching.

"Then the only option is hell," Wendy said sadly.

Erik was edging past the two women currently standing off against each other, cloaking Laki as they moved toward the door.

Sorano's eyes filled with tears, "I don't know how to live any other way."

"We'll teach you," Wendy said softly.

Sorano shook her head, trying to make sense of what was happening. It made no sense.

Erik pushed Laki out the door, grabbing her hand to guide her into the forest.

"Please Sorano. Give me the gun," Wendy urged.

"I can't!" Sorano cried, tears flooding her eyes. She raised the gun again, firing off several shots at Wendy, who stood unwavering. One of the bullets hit the gas line that ran the stove.

"Last chance," Wendy said solemnly.

"I'M SORRY!" Sorano screamed at the top of her lungs.

Erik and Laki were well into the treeline when they heard the enormous explosion. They glanced behind them briefly, watching the fireball explode into the sky.

Erik urged Laki to keep running. He would take her directly to where the police officers Rogue and Sting were waiting.

Wendy appeared beside him, flanking him as she ran.

"Did she…"

Wendy nodded, gesturing that they needed to stop for a moment.

Erik _compelled_ Laki to stop.

He stepped out of invisibility, appearing to her.

"You…helped me escape," Laki said slowly. Her face was white.

"I'm an Angel," Erik explained, "And yes…I came to help you. Now let's get that vest off of you."

Laki wavered on her feet, and fainted.

* * *

Rogue and Sting were fielding calls about the explosion in the forest. An investigative crew had already been sent out to find out what the heck it was. Rogue knew deep in his heart though. He felt like he was having a heart attack, the anxiety hit him so hard. It had to do the kidnappings. He was pretty sure someone's bomb had gone off. And if Lisanna and Virgo's bombs had both been dealt with, that meant it was Juvia or Laki's.

It was true that he barely knew Laki, but in the short time that he'd been charged with her care, he had come to like her. She was a friend. Maybe, given time, they could be more. It terrified him that she was innocent in all of this, but such a victim. He felt helpless...completely powerless to help her.

They had seen the initial fireball. Fire crews were on their way out to the scene as well. Trees had lit on fire from the aftermath of the explosion.

Erik and Wendy appeared at the forest line, Laki in Erik's arms. They approached the police without hesitation, despite the fact that every officer had their guns drawn on them.

Rogue almost collapsed from relief as he ran to meet them, reaching his arms out and receiving the shaking but bombless Laki into his arms. She had awakened again, feeling the comfort radiating off Erik's body as he carried her to the City.

"Laki!" Rogue collapsed to his knees, holding the girl tight to his chest as he examined her injuries. Wendy and Erik were out of sight now. From the treeline, Wendy waved her wrist, erasing the last 10 minutes of Laki's memory.

Sting was still staring at the tree line in absolute shock. Now 3 of the 4 girls were safe. It seemed like things were finally starting to sway in the right direction. But it was far from over yet.

He glanced at Rogue, who was caressing Laki's face as he fumbled with his phone to call an ambulance. It had been a long time since Sting had seen his best friend so concerned over a girl. He was thankful that Laki was going to be okay. And Virgo. And Lisanna.

 _The only captive left was Juvia._


	53. Chapter 53

_**YAY! I'm back - thank you all for the fun comments and likes and faves!**_

 _ **Lots of firsts for me over the weekend - 1st airplane ride (I know, right? First flight at - years old).**_

 _ **1st time staying on the 12th floor of a top-rated hotel - I was in the very beautiful City of Calgary!**_

 ** _I may and may not have had problems completing the 57th chapter of Angel of Oops because of the free very tall glasses of rum and coke...lol._**

 ** _But I got a lot of things accomplished for my work...honest...seriously...definitely..._**

 ** _ANYWAY, this is a heavy chapter. I considered breaking it up a bit because it's also the longest chapter to date,_**

 ** _but it just doesn't have the emotional impact if I break it up too much._**

 ** _MUAH! Enjoy - and break out your Kleenex boxes...you're gonna need them!_**

 ** _~Shana Hollows~_**

* * *

"You should have listened to our warnings," Gray bellowed at Samuel. His eyes glared out the anger he felt.

"I'm not afraid of you," Samuel spat back.

The two men circled each other, never breaking eye contact.

Gajeel looked up at Ezel, turning an arm into a sledge hammer, "Wanna let my little Shrimp off your back?"

Ezel gawked at Gajeel's transformation. Samuel wasn't kidding. They _didn't_ know who they were dealing with...these people did indeed do things that couldn't be explained, but freak or not, the girl was important to his new enemy. Ezel grinned, turning to run into the storage shed. He rotated his back at the last second so he could crush Levy against the building wall. Levy _transported_ off of his back, reappearing beside Gajeel. Ezel smashed into the building, causing it to collapse. Gray let out a roar of panic, abandoning his fight with Samuel to go get Juvia. Ezel got up from the collapsed building to go stand with his allies.

Lucy stood only a few metres away, wide-eyed as she watched the chaos…or more accurately, Natsu. Natsu was facing off with Dan. It was her worst fear...her nightmare had literally come to life.

Glancing as Levy screamed her name, she realized Jackal had pulled the trigger of his gun. Levy _transported_ again, shielding Lucy from the bullet. The bullet deflected off her body, landing on the ground in tact.

Lucy was starting to panic, staring at the bullet. She didn't understand what was happening. Her friends were disappearing from some places, reappearing in others...and what was with Gajeel's arms? How did Levy not get shot just now?

The Angels lined up horizontally minus Gray, Lucy and Levy standing behind them. Dan and Samuel's group regrouped in front of them.

"What the…Levy? What…" Lucy stammered.

"I'm going to blow the bombs," Samuel yelled, "I'm warning you - stay out of our way or we'll take Magnolia down!"

He grabbed his remote control, still attached to his hand, going for the button.

Gray flitted inside what was left of the storehouse, grabbed Juvia, and transported her out of the vest. He grabbed the vest, then _transported_ out into the water as far as he could.

Samuel pressed the button.

There were explosions in three different directions – one to the Northeast of the city, one to the West, and one about 500 yards past the dock inside the ocean. But Magnolia did not blow up. Dan and Samuel's group exchanged confused expressions.

"It's over," Jellal announced, joining them on the dock.

Erza put a hand on the shaking Lucy. She didn't understand any of what she'd just witnessed. Erza sent some _presence_ through her.

"Like hell it's over!" Samuel spat.

"It doesn't have to end violently," Minerva said, joining the line of Angels, "You can ask for forgiveness and still use the rest of your lives to right your wrongs."

"WHO IN THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?" Jackal yelled.

They all whipped out their guns, splaying the group of Angels with bullets. Levy stood in front of Lucy, shielding her from the onslaught. Each bullet that hit Levy's protective barrier fell harmlessly to the ground. The bullets seemed to pass harmlessly through the others' bodies. Dan's group's eyes widened, fear on their faces as they realized the opposing group still stood in front of them, completely unharmed.

"Repent of your sins," Jellal said again, "Decide that you're not going to hurt anyone anymore. The Magnolia police are about 2 blocks into town. Turn yourselves in. This needs to end peacefully."

Samuel reached into his pocket, pulling out more of Jackal's specialty grenades.

"Like hell it does!" he shouted. He released three grenades, one in each direction of the line of Angels. The force of the impact of the grenades collapsed parts of the dock, knocking all the Angels down to the ground.

* * *

"Kyoka! Start the plane!" Dan yelled as he, Samuel, Jackal and Ezel headed for the plane.

Kyoka was slightly shaken. The explosion in the water had rocked the tiny airplane already, and now there were more explosions coming from the dock. She already had the plane started and was waiting for her passengers.

Samuel opened the plane doors, allowing Jackal to get in before he went to shut the door.

Ezel grunted.

"You're too big!" Samuel yelled at him, going to close the door again.

Ezel backed up, dejected shock on his face. Samuel would abandon him? He shook of the initial shock. Of course Samuel would abandon him. Samuel was the boss's son. Ezel was hired muscle. He hurried in the other direction to see if there was a way to escape off the dock on land.

"Samuel! What about me?" Dan asked, panic in his face.

Samuel looked at him dead in the eye, smirking, "You're finally going to die."

"YOU BASTARD!" Dan yelled.

"Shut the hell up, Dan! I've been waiting for this moment for a looong time! At least go out with dignity, you snivelling rat!"

Samuel pulled out a gun, exiting the plane and pointing it at Dan's chest.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Dan asked, whimpering as Samuel cocked the gun.

"You don't know?" Samuel scoffed, "Your bitch mother, Kari...my 'father' loved her so much, he pretty much disowned my mother and I. He didn't even acknowledge I was his son until he was going to jail."

"Wait..." Dan said, "That means we're..."

"Yeah, Fucktard. That's what it means. We're brothers. Except he didn't acknowledge _me_. Not til he needed someone and you were too young at the time. He needed someone to run his empire. So suddenly, it was okay to acknowledge that he was my sperm donor."

Dan shook his head, not sure what to say.

"My mother died when I was ten...10! Because she got caught at the wrong place at the wrong time while _YOUR_ mother played whore in his bed and was coddled with the good life. Know what he said to me when my mother died?"

Dan stared at him as Samuel pushed the gun point blank into his chest. Tears gathered at the edges of his eyes as he looked Dan dead on.

"He said, 'Get over it. You have deliveries to make. There's a couch in the clubhouse if ain't got a place to sleep no more.' And then he walked away. I have _fended for myself_ since I was 10 years old! _You_ grew up in luxury...protected...loved!" Samuel sniffed back his tears, "You ruined my life! Because if you and your mother weren't there, he would have accepted me!"

"I didn't know," Dan said slowly.

Samuel was breathing heavily, his anger making his face turn red.

"So why did you agree to help with tracking Lucy and Levy then? You willingly agreed to work with me," Dan challenged.

" _Because I need his approval_!" Samuel yelled back, "He was so bloody happy his missing son had been found when you reappeared on the scene 8 years ago with the offer to work together to get the gold bars! It made me _sick_. But he wanted it...his two sons, working side by side for a common goal. Haven't you been listening? I need him to _accept_ me! If I get his empire back on track and get him out of jail, maybe _THEN_ he'll love me! He arranged the partnership without consulting me, as per usual."

Dan nodded, "He told me this is how it was too. But he didn't know my mother was also involved. She was the one who encouraged me to take the chance...get to know Lucy. I actually love her, Samuel. Nobody counted on that happening. It's a bonus, really. We all get richer _and_ I get the woman of my dreams."

Samuel rolled his eyes. Leave it to Dan to make it about him and his stupid 'feelings' for Lucy. He was missing the whole point. Dan was off yakking about yet another thing now.

Dan shook his head, "If you had just accepted _me_ , maybe _I_ would have loved you... _as your brother_. You think I had it so good, but I'm not that loved either. My mother came for me at the orphanage when I was 9. It took that long for Witness Protection to pull me out of foster care. She didn't want me. She wanted to teach me how to live like I had money so I could go to Jude Heartfilia one day as a suitor for his daughter...so she could get her hands on his money again and locate the gold bars. And here I am doing everything I can to get to Lucy so I can give her what she wants. Lucy will take her place as the Heartfilia heir and sign it all over to my mother...she'll be rich again. I'm no different than you, Samuel. I just want to be accepted too. Although I do have every intention of making Lucy mine...her body...her eyes...her hair... _perfection_."

"Your mother is dead," Samuel snapped, bringing him back to the present, "You kept saying your phone calls were to _him."_

"That was to throw you off," Dan retorted, "My mother went into Witness Protection _._ The beating was a story and so was ' _he'._ We didn't want you to put 2 + 2 together," Dan said firmly, " She faked her death under federal protection to get away from ' _our'_ dad _._ Our lives weren't great either."

The two men locked eyes. Samuel looked down to the gun in his hand, his finger on the trigger. He lowered it, his mind reeling from the new revelations, "I don't like you," Samuel said, accentuating every word, "It doesn't change anything just because we're half-brothers. We'll help each other - You take the Heartfilia fortune and I'll take the gold bars. We stay in touch long enough to make sure that happens. Then I don't ever want to see you again."

Dan nodded, "Deal."

"Then I'll be back once my group can restructure. It's too hot here now. Cops are going to swarm this place soon," Samuel said.

"So I can come now?" Dan asked, moving for the plane.

"No."

Samuel got into the plane, slamming the door shut and it started moving across the water, leaving a dejected Dan on the docks.

* * *

The Angels were stirring. Nobody was hurt, but the dock was unstable. It had collapsed at parts. The entire structure was threatening to break down.

Lucy was still stunned, torn between being terrified, shocked, and freaking out. Her friends were all down. She couldn't even move, paralyzed by her myriad of emotions.

Dan was panicking, realizing that with Samuel's take off, he was still left with no mode of escape. His time was running out. And he was more determined than ever to get the keys for the gold room. Maybe if he handed them over to Samuel, he would want a brotherly relationship after all was said and done.

But first, he had to get off the docks. He pulled his gun from his waist and ran for Lucy, who was the only one standing on the dock at this point, still shell-shocked at the display her friends had just put on. Everyone had been blown back in the impact of the blasts, including Levy who had shielded Lucy from the impact again. They were starting to stir, slowly getting up and getting their bearings.

"We need to transport to the plane!" Jellal yelled. He, Minerva, Wendy and Erza disappeared, not even realizing Dan was headed straight for Lucy.

Lucy's eyes widened as Dan grabbed her around the waist, running for the shoreline. He was none too gentle with her. She screamed as he pretty much dragged her by her hair. He spotted Gajeel's car, throwing her into the passenger seat. He was thrilled to see the keys still in the ignition.

"SHUT UP, LULU!" he screeched when Lucy screamed to protest being thrown so roughly. He kept his gun to Lucy's side as he started the car and peeled off. He spotted a side road that he figured would have less police presence, barreling through the police barricade by smashing through their cars, then screeched off into the night.

Erik, Natsu, Levy and Gajeel took off after them, Natsu and Levy flitting into the shadows for faster travel. Erik and Gajeel were checking vehicles for unlocked doors. They finally found a Chevy Sprint that was unlocked. Gajeel barely fit inside, but they squealed after Dan anyway, again running through the barrier that the police had set up.

"Tell Sting we are in pursuit!" Macao yelled into the CB, "Two vehicles headed north on back roads, headed for the highway. One is a blue Dodge Charger, the other a red Chevy Sprint. Should be considered extremely armed and dangerous!"

Four police cruisers fell in behind the Chevy Sprint.

* * *

Gray barely had the energy to _transport_ himself up onto the dock from the water below. He had managed to swim back from where he had transported the bomb to, but it had reverberated through his body. He was extremely injured. The salt water stung his wounds, causing even more pain. He collapsed on the dock, breathing hard for a few minutes. His left leg was bent in a very odd angle, which was strange because the bomb shouldn't have hurt him. He was bloody, with multiple abrasions all over his body. It had been a very long time since he felt pain. He forgot how excruciating it could be.

He couldn't explain why he was injured, but then he remembered when Erza had gotten injured, Jellal had explained it was because she had had intentions of hurting Dan and Samuel. He remembered when Erza had explained it to him. She had resolved to change her ways and remember that as an Angel, she shouldn't be wishing harm to anyone.

He grimaced, now knowing why he was in so much pain. He genuinely wanted to see Dan and Samuel go down, possibly die. So he'd done something drastic…something no Angel should even consider doing...

He could hear the airplane taking off into the air in the distance, despite the police warning them through a loud speaker to slow down and turn the airplane off or they would open fire. He struggled to catch his breath. They wouldn't get far, Gray knew.

Before he'd transported himself onto the dock to find Juvia, Gray had cut the gas lines to the plane.

* * *

"We're going to have such a good life, Lulu!" Dan was promising. He was doing twice the speed limit, racing to get out to the area where _he_ was waiting, "I want babies. I want tons of babies. Can you see it, Lulu? We'll have 5, maybe 6! We're going to see _him_ now, Lulu…we're going to see _him_ and then we can start our lives together."

Inside, his mind was reeling with the new revelations of the day. _I have a brother..._

He resolved to get the keys and prove his loyalty to Samuel. It changed everything. He didn't want to just get the keys, use Lucy to claim the Heartfilia fortune, then never see Samuel again. _He wanted his brother._

Lucy has silent tears pouring down her face. He kept his gun aimed at her as he drove, but it was unnecessary. She wasn't going to try to get away. She was in an absolute stupor after everything she'd witnessed in the past 15 minutes. Her friends had all shown strange abilities...things she couldn't explain. She'd known for awhile now that something was different about the people she spent all her time with. She knew Levy was a Guardian of some sort. She knew she'd seen Natsu disappear from her room with no explanation. And there was no accounting for what had just happened at the docks. And yet, with all their unexplained special abilities, all was _still_ lost. They'd survived the hail of bullets, but they wouldn't have escaped the grenades. Grenades would have killed all of her friends. Even Levy. Even her Natsu.

Rage suddenly enveloped her body. She didn't care if her friends were _different_. They were the only beings on Earthland that cared about _her_. She attacked Dan, knocking the gun out of his hand into the back seat.

"YOU KILLED NATSU!" she screamed, ramming her fists into his arms and face.

Dan struggled to maintain control of the vehicle, veering into the clearing that they had somehow managed to reach. The car smashed into a tree, throwing them both into the dashboard.

Lucy groaned. She could feel a wound on her head seeping blood down onto her lap. Dan was motionless beside her as she struggled to open the car door, collapsing to the ground in pain.

"Hello Lucy," a new voice said.

She heard a gun cock and rolled over to face the new threat. It wasn't a man's voice like she expected…it was a woman with dark red hair. She wore a black trench coat that reached to her knees.

Lucy's eyes widened as she recognized the woman. Memories began flooding back to her.

 _Kari._

* * *

The airplane taxied through the water, gaining speed for takeoff. Jellal, Erza, Wendy, and Minerva sat in the plane, unbeknownst to Kyoka, Dan, and Jackal.

The police boats were closing in, trying to block off their escape route.

"Do it now!" Samuel yelled at Kyoka, "Get us in the air!"

"They're going to shoot us down!" Kyoka yelled back.

"They're bluffing!" Samuel screamed, "GET THIS PLANE IN THE AIR!"

Kyoka pulled the throttle, elevating the small plane into the air, sailing overtop of the police boats. Shots were fired, but she figured they'd completely missed…until she looked at the fuel gauge.

"Okay - take us to the nearest port. We need to get back to Magnolia," Samuel ordered.

"We're losing fuel," she said, her face turning white.

"How can we be losing fuel?" Samuel demanded, rushing up to the co-pilot's seat, "Didn't you check to make sure we got a plane with a full tank?"

"I…I did!" Kyoka stuttered. She checked the reserve tank. It was also empty, "I don't understand. The cops must have shot the fuel tank!"

"Impossible!" Jackal yelled over the plane engine, "The plane would have blown up, wouldn't it have?"

"You can still land this plane safely," Jellal said, becoming solid. Erza, Minerva and Wendy followed suit.

Samuel, Jackal and Kyoka all paled.

"How…how did you get on the plane?" Jackal asked slowly, "You really are ghosts."

"We're not ghosts," Minerva corrected, "We're Angels. We've been sent to stop your rampages. You've hurt a lot of people."

Samuel reached into his pocket, Erza stilling his hand.

"Grenades won't ultimately hurt us," she told him, "The force of the air will knock us down, and it might even stun us for a few minutes, but you won't accomplish anything ultimately with those. Plus, if you blow the airplane up, you're going to blow with it."

His hand relaxed, knowing for some reason that she told the truth.

"What do you want?" Samuel asked. His hands shook.

"To give you a chance to right your wrongs," Jellal said, "You are on a path to unredeemable destruction. There's still time to correct your wrongdoings, however. Turn the plane around and land. Surrender to the police officers."

The plane was dead silent as Kyoka, Jackal and Samuel contemplated Jellal's words.

"There is no escape," Erza said, "The plane is losing fuel. Your choices are to surrender or die. If you choose to die, we hope you'll also choose remorse for all the damage you've done in the past. Any way you look at it, it's over."

Kyoka veered the plane around, heading back for the docks.

"What in the hell are you doing?" Samuel yelled.

"We're not getting out of this...not this time," Kyoka said, tears running down her face.

"Turn the plane around!" Samuel ordered.

"And do what? We won't get 10 kilometres away with what fuel we have!" she screamed.

"I'd rather die than spend my life in jail," Jackal scrambled to the front of the cab, knocking Kyoka in the face. He unbelted her, throwing her into the back of the plane as he fought to gain control of the aircraft again. She didn't fight back. Tears continued to stream down her face.

"Find a place to land. Any place will do," Samuel instructed, "We'll find a way to escape from wherever we can touch down."

Jackal nodded. He didn't have a lot of aviation experience. He was sweating.

"You're going to kill us!" Kyoka realized as he veered the plane, barely missing a cliff jutting out over the ocean.

"Kyoka," Wendy said softly, reaching out her hand. Kyoka took it, tears running down her face.

"Last chance," Jellal leaned forward, speaking into Jackal's ear, "It's imminent now. You're going to die if you don't accept blame. Will you choose to repent?"

Jackal and Samuel exchanged glances, screaming out as the airplane actually hit the cliff this time and spiraled out of control, smashing into the ocean.

* * *

Gray had pulled Juvia's body somehow from the remnants of the collapsed storage house. He was in incredible pain, barely able to move his own body, let alone drag hers. He smoothed a hand down her face, cradling her chin.

"Juves," he said softly, "Wake up."

She had new injuries from the collapse of the storage house. Blood flowed from her arm and her torso. She coughed slightly, prompting Gray to lift her head to make breathing easier.

She opened her eyes, glancing up at him.

"Gray?"

He nodded, kissing her forehead.

"I'm not dead?"

"No Juves," he said.

"How…how are you here?" she stuttered.

"I'm an Angel," he replied, tears gathering in his eyes. They streamed down his face as he cradled her.

"An Angel," she repeated. She sounded as though she was in a daze. Her thoughts weren't coming to her easily, "I think I knew on some level, Gray."

Her head hurt. In fact, her entire body hurt. She had never experienced such awful pain. She was trying to comprehend whether Gray was in her imagination or whether he was actually there with her, but her mind was foggy and having trouble registering much.

"Am I dying?" she asked, "Have you come to take me Home?"

He shook his head, unable to answer her.

"Lucy…Levy…the other girls," she was mumbling, her words barely intelligible.

"Lisanna and Virgo are okay," he promised, "Laki too. Natsu, Gajeel and Levy are going after Lucy."

"Gray…I didn't think I'd ever have a chance to tell you…" Juvia's voice trailed off.

"Tell me later, Juvia. We have to get you some help."

Gray was scooping her up in his arms, trying to pick her up. His leg let out a jolt of horrendous pain. He couldn't do it. He couldn't lift her.

"No!" Juvia said sharply, "Please Gray! I need...to tell you this...because I have a chance to now. I don't know if you're real or not…please Gray."

He stilled, stroking her hair, "I'm real, Juves. I'm listening."

She strained to open her eyes, tears seeping through the corners of her swollen face, "I'm sorry, Gray...There's no...excuse. What I did...was wrong. I'm so sorry, Gray. I love you so much. It could only ever...have been you. And I'm so sorry."

Juvia was exhausted from her spiel, groaning in pain. Her breathing was laboured as she fought to stay conscious.

Gray's own tears were blurring his vision. He kissed her forehead, "Juves, I forgave you a long time ago. I released you so that you could date Lyon."

"That was real?" she said in awe, "I thought it was a dream."

"I've been around you for awhile, Juves. And I'm not blameless either. I need you to forgive me too."

"I didn't love him," Juvia said softly. Her voice was edged with pain and she struggled to release every word. Her breathing was slow and laboured, "I think...the only reason I ...gave him a chance…was because I was hoping...he could fill the void...that you left...in my heart. I never...got over you, Gray. I will _never...be over you_."

Her eyes closed again and she went still.

"Juvia," Gray whispered. He pulled her head onto his lap, his misshapen leg jutted out to the side. He kissed her lips upside-down, "C'mon Juves. Wake up. Stay with me!"

Juvia didn't move.

He shook her body, tears flooding out of his eyes. He started yelling at her, "JUVIA! Answer me! You have to wake up! I'm going to get you some help! STAY WITH ME, JUVIA! LISTEN TO MY VOICE!"

His body convulsed with sobs as he tried to lower her head gently to the deck of the dock, feeling for a pulse.

"HELP ME!" he screamed through his tears, "SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"Well, what do we have here?" a new voice cut in.

Gray's eyes widened, realizing the hulk-ish Ezel was looming overtop of them. He knew he couldn't carry Juvia with his leg the way it was. He also knew he couldn't get up on his own, even if he tried. He covered her with his body as Ezel raised his arms to throw his first attack. Gray tensed, waiting for the blow.

It never came.

He opened his eyes and went into complete shock as he realized Jellal had blocked the attack. His arms were lit up with a bright light-like luminescence. He pushed Ezel backward, making him fall on his rear. Erza, Jellal, Minerva and Wendy surrounded him.

"It's over," Jellal told him, "Samuel, Kyoka and Jackal have turned themselves in to the police. There is nothing left to fight for. Give yourself up."

Ezel shook his head, "Samuel would never do that! He would never give up on his father's dream! Never!"

"He didn't have a choice, Ezel," Wendy said softly, "Their time was up. The plane crashed and they had a split second choice to make…repent of their wrongdoings, or die accountable for every misdeed, every murder. At the last minute, they decided."

"He gave up?" Ezel asked.

Minerva nodded, "And Jackal and Kyoka too. We got them off the plane before it crashed. They're all in police custody now."

Ezel fell to his knees. He didn't understand.

"It's not possible!" he thundered, "How do you 'save' people from a crashing plane?"

"We're Angels," Erza told him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "And it was only because Samuel and Jackal and Kyoka accepted that their lives needed to change that we were able to save them. What will you choose, Ezel?"

Ezel dropped his head to his chest, accepting defeat.

Jellal raised his arm and shot off a light flare. It was a trick unique to Jellal's abilities. It would indicate to Sting and Rogue that it was safe to approach the docks now. There was no hesitation. Swarms of police men raided the docks. They cuffed the large man, escorting him off the dock.

The clouds overhead burst, sending rain down to the docks. One by one, Minerva, Erza, Jellal and Wendy surrounded Gray. Wendy bent down by Juvia, also feeling for a pulse.

Gray refused to leave Juvia's side. She wasn't moving. Ambulance crews raced onto the docks, heading for her. He clutched her hands, kissing her forehead over and over again. Tears ran down his face in actual streams, pooling on the dock floor in small puddles with the rain.

"Gray," Wendy whispered, "You have to let her go."

His body convulsed with sobs and he held her hands, shaking his head in denial. He was tired of 'letting her go'. Juvia needed him...and he needed Juvia. Why couldn't the universe just let them be together and _not_ in either physical or emotional pain?

Erza bent down beside him, taking him into her arms as he wept. He wouldn't let Juvia's hands go. He couldn't.

"It's okay, Gray," Erza said softly, "We're all here with you. You aren't facing this alone. Let go."

She gently pried Gray's hands from Juvia's, pulling him back beside her.

Jellal sent out a wave of _presence_ for him, the other Angels each following suit. They all had tears in their eyes as they shared his pain.

As ambulance crews took Juvia off the dock in a stretcher, Gray threw his head back and let out a feral scream.

* * *

Sting was busily barking orders. There were police and ambulance vehicles everywhere as they tried to piece together what had happened that night. Rogue had gone to the hospital with Laki after she refused an ambulance, but only after taking her to the police station first so she could be reunited with the other captives.

The entire group bawled together, the 8-Island crew all huddling in with the three girls. They were all safe. Except for Juvia. Nobody knew of her fate.

"We've got Juvia on the dock!" Jet yelled to Sting, hurrying after the crews running for her.

Sting passed his clipboard to Gildarts, running toward the docks. He needed to see Juvia for himself. He was aware that the bombs had all been detonated and were no longer a threat. He'd had to send crews out in two directions to take care of the ensuing fire. The third bomb had gone off in the water, seemingly harmlessly, but with the final battle on the docks, there was no telling how Juvia had fared.

The ambulance crew was rushing to get Juvia off the docks and into the ambulance. They were working on her as they ran. He stood back, allowing them to pass him.

He glanced toward the dock. A second ambulance crew followed close behind him as he rushed for the end of the dock. They were there for someone else with injuries. Severe trauma to the leg.

But the end of the dock was completely empty. Sting stared in absolute confusion. _They_ had said they would resolve this with as little death as possible. None of the people in the airplane crash were even injured when they turned themselves over to police boats, or so he'd been told. They _swam_ to the police boats to turn themselves in. All the police out in the water had watched the plane crash. Not one of them could explain how there could be survivors.

How? How does one survive a plane crashing into the ocean with no injuries?

Unable to find a plausible explanation, Sting looked up to the sky.

"Thank you," he whispered.

His radio went off again.

"Sting, it's Jet! We've got a Chevy Sprint pulled over just before the highway! It's Gajeel! He says he's going after Lucy and needs as much backup as we can provide!"

Sting heaved out a sigh. It wasn't over yet. He would have to mull over the oddities of the night another time. Glancing back at the empty dock one more time, he started running, barking orders into the radio as he went.


	54. Chapter 54

**_This chapter promises to be as exciting as the last!_**

 ** _Did you cry for Gray and Juvia last chapter? I sure did. Man, I love their characters SO MUCH._**

 ** _Please make sure to comment! Things are getting cool, Cool, COOL!_**

 ** _Hey wait...did someone say BADASS LUCY?_**

 ** _YES PLEASE!_**

* * *

Gajeel was ticked. It would be just his luck that the only car in the immediate vicinity of the docks would be a rusty old Chevy Sprint. Not that he had anything against Sprints, but this one was _old_ and _gutless_ and _TINY_. He had the gas pressed to the floor, which is pretty much the only position he could managed since there was so little room for his legs under the dashboard, and was still only able to top out at 80 km/hr **(49.7 miles per hour…for my American friends – sorry, I'm Canadian!)**

"We're not going to be able to follow Lucy if we don't hurry!" Erik warned, "The Aura trail is getting fainter by the minute."

Gajeel growled. They'd had four cop cars tailing them for blocks now. He found it highly amusing in the most sarcastic way possible that they were bothering with _him_ when Dan was getting further and further from the city. Finally, he screeched to a halt, the four squad cars surrounding him immediately.

"Stay where you are!" the speaker blared, "Put your hands up and get out of the vehicle!"

"Macao, you moron!" Gajeel yelled, attempting to get out of the tiny car. His knees were practically pressed against either side of the steering wheel, his head hunched down from the roof. His head smacked the edge of the door as he tried to get out of the car. Macao had to stifle his laughter as he watched the huge man try to unfold himself out of the vehicle.

"I didn't know it was you, Gajeel," Macao said as Gajeel rubbed his tender noggin.

Gajeel glared at him before breaking into a run. He hurried to Macao's squad car, Erik rushing to join him.

"What are you doing?!" Macao demanded.

"I need your car! Call Sting – tell him we're in pursuit of Lucy and Dan! Send as many units as possible!" Gajeel yelled, squealing the tires as he pulled back out on to the highway.

Wakaba crushed his cigarette out on the ground, the two of them rushing to the next squad car, kicking Warren and Nab to the back seat so he could drive. Macao took the passenger seat and they gunned it – trying to keep up to Gajeel. But Gajeel was leaving them in the dust.

* * *

Lucy was thrown against a large rockface beside the car, a gun pointed at her head.

"Impossible," Lucy breathed, still eyeing Kari with disbelief, "You're dead."

Kari shook her head, a smirk on her face, "The Witness Protection Program made it _look_ like I was dead. Who do you think the star witness was that put Porla behind bars for the last 15 years? Only the Program didn't provide the life I've become accustomed to. I've been waiting for this moment for years."

" _Your death made my father go mad_!" Lucy hissed, "He _killed my mother_ over your death!"

"I know," Kari smiled, "But he was _always_ crazy. He didn't love her. She was a total pain in the ass. Always in my way acting like a goody two shoes. She was pathetic. _Begging_ for Jude's love when it was so obvious he would never love her back. She got exactly what was coming to her!"

" _YOU BITCH!"_ Lucy screamed, throwing herself at Kari. The gun went flying out of Kari's hand as Lucy tackled her. The women both fell to the ground. Lucy positioned herself, straddling Kari's waist and repeatedly pounded her fists into Kari's face. The older woman screeched and tried to shield her face. Lucy pinned her arms with her knees and decked Kari in the eye, satisfied at the 'smacking' noise it made, then raised her fist to repeat the motion again.

A hand rested on her shoulder, stopping her mid-punch. Kari was shrieking. Blood oozed from the corners of her mouth.

"That's enough, Lulu," Dan said forcefully.

He must have gotten himself out of the vehicle. He was a mess. He had taken a hit to the forehead as well. One arm hung limply.

He yanked her back with his good arm, pushing her back against the rock wall.

Kari brushed herself off, standing up.

"Hold her there," she told Dan, raising her fists, "I have to teach this bitch some respect."

"That's enough from both of you!" Dan shouted.

The three of them engaged in a staring match.

"Give me the keys, bitch!" Kari seethed.

"They're no good to you," Lucy smirked, "The room is empty. Every last ounce of the gold is gone."

"You're lying!" Kari screamed, raising another gun she'd had in her waistband.

Dan pushed up on the barrel of the gun, making the shot fire into the air.

"I SAID ENOUGH!" he yelled.

Lucy spat some blood on the ground, never taking her eyes off Kari.

He was breathing hard as he turned to Lucy, resuming his soft, love-sick expression, "Where are the keys, Baby?"

"They're gone," Lucy spat again, "You'll never see them. The room is empty. The cops have the gold bars. And I'm not your baby."

"You turned the keys over to the cops?" Dan asked, his face draining of colour. Samuel would never forgive him. It was like he never even heard her denial of being his.

Lucy laughed, loving the look of defeat on Dan's face, "That's right! You've been terrorizing us for years for nothing."

Kari lunged at her again, tackling her to the ground. Lucy wasted no time kicking her in the stomach as she lunged, knocking the air out of her, followed by another 2-punch to Kari's head.

Dan sighed. It would forever to get anywhere at this rate. Apparently, they'd both forgotten the Heartfilia fortune still waited to be claimed. There was still hope they could be successful. There was still hope Samuel would want to be brothers if they used a large portion of the Heartfilia money to fund Samuel's cause. He pried them apart again, wincing as his mother jabbed back with her elbow, hitting Dan in his limp arm.

He howled out in pain, anger coursing through his veins. He grabbed one of the guns from the ground. The ladies stopped tousling.

"We still have the Heartfilia fortune we can claim. Lucy will sign the papers and we'll keep you living comfortably," he promised his mother.

Kari straightened her hair, "And _why_ are you pointing that gun at _me?"_ she hissed.

"I need enough money to give my Lulu a destination wedding," Dan said, "We'll split it in half. You're both going to get along now until the wedding."

"I'm not agreeing to only half!" Kari screamed, "That money should be mine!"

Dan shot her a look of utter contempt, "And I'm not asking. I'm _done_ listening to you. You're lucky I even offered you half."

"Don't you want me to love you, Dan?" Kari chided, "Isn't it what you crave - to be accepted by mommy-dearest?"

"First, I marry Lucy, _then_ you'll get your money," Dan said in a low voice, "And then you disappear."

"I will _never_ marry you!" Lucy spat.

Dan glanced at Lucy, ignoring his mother's hissy fit as she stomped the ground angrily, "You don't want to get married? Fine. We'll buy a secluded house…with tons of room for our children."

"I don't want to be with you, Dan!" Lucy screamed in utter frustration. Kari had been a surprise – she was outnumbered. Lucy realized that she wasn't likely to survive the night so she saw no point in holding back. Natsu and her friends were gone. She would rather die than comply with Dan's wishes now, "I _never_ loved you! And even if I did at some point - _WHICH I DID NOT -_ it doesn't matter now…because my heart belongs to someone else!"

Kari smirked, wondering how she could have had such a clueless son. She'd always known, throughout the many years she'd been waiting for Dan to finally capture Lucy, that Lucy was terrified of him. Dan was mentally unstable. She was sure of it. But instead of getting him some help, Kari used his obsession to whisper sweet words of love that imaginary Lucy was saying to Dan. _She likes playing hard to get...that's why she runs. I SAW the way she looked at you!_

Dan's shocked face was pitiful. It had never dawned on him that Lucy didn't love him. He thought part of the reason Lucy ran was because it was some sort of game to her. He was trying to ignore the last part. That was impossible. Lucy couldn't possibly love another man.

His mind flashed to the TV screen…the man that was being interviewed…

"The pink-haired man?" he asked.

Lucy nodded defiantly, "His name is _Natsu_. And he's 400 times the man you are! He's decent and honest and he loves me for who I am...not what wealth I can bring to him! Don't you get it, Dan? I DON'T LOVE YOU! And I'd rather die than be anywhere near you for the rest of my life!"

Dan cocked the gun, aiming directly at Lucy's head, "Maybe _you_ don't understand, Lulu. We _are_ meant to be together. He's confusing you. He's putting bad thoughts into your head about me. You can still change your mind. After all...he's dead now, right?"

They stared at each other, her utter defiance glaring from her eyes.

"You're going to sign over the fortune," Dan hissed finally, "And then I will spend every waking moment for the rest of your life _making_ you remember why we're meant to be together."

"Like hell she will!" a new voice yelled.

There was a blur, and suddenly Dan was knocked off his feet, sprawled on the ground on his back.

Levy was standing in front of Lucy protectively, staring down Kari.

"Natsu!" Lucy breathed out an enormous sigh of relief. She hugged Levy from behind, "I thought you were dead! How in the hell did you find us?"

There hadn't been any headlights. Lucy wondered at the back of her mind how they'd even _gotten_ to the clearing without alerting Dan and Kari…but after what she'd seen at the docks, she knew there was more to her friends than meets the eye. And right now, she didn't have time to ask questions.

She left Levy to kiss Natsu full on the lips, eliciting a death glare from Dan.

"Long story," Levy said over her shoulder, keeping her stare directly on Kari.

Dan had gotten off the ground. Natsu kissed Lucy's forehead one more time, then left her side to face Dan. He and Dan circled each other, much like they'd done on the docks. This time, there was only moonlight to guide their movements.

"I don't want to fight you, Dan," Natsu said in a low, angry tone, "There is no need for us to fight. It's over. Samuel and his entire crew have been arrested. You need to move on or go to jail too."

Dan let out an amused scoff, ignoring Natsu's comment about Samuel getting arrested. He knew Samuel better than that. Samuel Zentopia would rather die than get arrested, "I _will_ move on. With Lucy. Go back to Magnolia, Pinky. You're not wanted here."

Kari used the temporary distraction to dive for one of the guns on the ground. She whipped around, pointing it toward Lucy and Levy…or to where Lucy and Levy _had_ been. They were gone.

She stood up, circling around to see where they'd gone. She caught sight of them heading back toward the highway, Levy pulling Lucy by her hand. Lucy was limping. She wouldn't get far with that injured leg.

Grinning evilly, she ran for her car. She would simply run them down.

"I'm not leaving her!" Natsu thundered, "She's not your toy. She's a living…"

"…Piece of exquisite woman," Dan finished.

"Good to know there's one thing we can agree on," Natsu hissed, "But you're not taking her against her will. When will it be enough Dan? How many more people will die before you see that you're living your life for the wrong reasons?"

"Who in the hell are you to judge me?" Dan thundered, "You look like a loser to me. You look like someone who fucks up everything you try."

Natsu cringed. Dan had hit a nerve. He felt pangs of self-doubt cloud his mind. He could preach to Dan all he wanted about living a clean life...Natsu was not perfect either. He _was_ the screw up Dan described. And he, an Angel, was in love with Lucy, a human. As much as Natsu didn't see Dan as a good match, neither was he.

Dan let out a ferocious roar, plowing into Natsu's stomach. The men barreled to the ground, Dan releasing punch after punch into Natsu's body.

* * *

Levy and Lucy ran hand in hand, Lucy limping as they ran.

"If we can get to the highway," Levy told her, "Gajeel should be almost here! He'll pick us up and we'll be safe!"

The headlights of Kari's car shone on them. It was alarming how close she had gotten in such a short time. The car was moving dangerously fast. There was no time for Lucy and Levy to veer off into the forest.

"She's going to run us down!" Lucy screamed.

The car was inches from them when Levy grabbed Lucy's hand and _transported_ into the darkness of the woods.

"Stay down," Levy whispered as they knelt about 30 feet off the road.

Lucy's face was white, "I-I…Levy…"

Levy glanced at her sympathetically, "You've been exposed to a lot of crazy stuff tonight, haven't you? I promise…we'll tell you everything. But first, we've got to lose Kari."

* * *

Gajeel was speeding in the police cruiser. He had a pretty good idea of where they were heading now.

"I think they went to the clearing," Erik confirmed from beside him, trying to read the extremely faint Aura in front of the vehicle. His face paled, "Gajeel, the Aura veers here. The car went out of control."

Ahead of them, they could see headlights. Gajeel's car was wrapped around a tree. Gajeel swore under his breath. He _liked_ that car!

Another set of headlights squealed forward in an enormous burst of speed, barely missing some shadowy figures in the otherwise darkness.

"Shrimp!" Gajeel panicked, "That car is trying to run over them!"

He jerked the steering wheel, headed straight for the other car.

"You're going to ram it?" Erik asked in alarm.

Gajeel gripped the steering wheel tighter, "I'm eliminating their weapon!"

He rammed into the driver's side of Kari's car, smashing it violently to the side.

Gajeel and Erik got out of the car to go check the driver and any other passengers.

"She rolled out!" Erik announced from the open passenger side of the vehicle, "She bailed before you hit her!"

"She?" Gajeel responded, running to Erik's side of the car. He followed Erik as he tracked the Aura of the woman who had bailed from the car.

"She's limping," Erik said, "She hit the ground _there."_

He pointed to a spot several feet away. Gajeel followed his finger to the point he suspected Erik was acknowledging as the place she stood up.

"That way!" Erik yelled, taking off at a run. Gajeel broke into a run too, following his friend into the depths of the forest.

* * *

"I _don't want to fight you!"_ Natsu re-iterated, pushing Dan off of his body with amazing surprising strength, "Don't you see, Dan? The rampages have to stop! Hurting people is not helping you ultimately. More people get hurt and killed and you _still_ aren't accomplishing what you want! Do you really think that money is going to make everything better for you? Or a relationship with a woman who doesn't love you?"

Dan shook his head, "Lucy _does_ love me! She's said it to me! She's just forgotten!"

Natsu was standing back from Dan about 4 or 5 feet, "She _doesn't_ love you, Dan. She's _terrified_ of you! Why do you think she runs from you. Do you really think it's a game to her? That she enjoys watching people die?"

Dan shook his head again, trying not to listen to Natsu's words, "She _does_ love me! And Samuel will love me too once I get the Heartfilia fortune for him."

Natsu was sending out vibes of _presence_ and _compel_ at the same time. He wasn't even sure he could use _compel_ , but he needed all the help he could get. He knew fighting with Dan wouldn't end anything. Dan needed to _realize_ that what he was doing was wrong.

* * *

Levy had Lucy's hand again, dashing as silently through the trees as they could go. She had seen Gajeel enter the clearing in a squad car. Kari thought they were along the highway, so they might lessen the risk of being caught if they doubled back the way they came, then follow the coastline to get away.

They couldn't hear Gajeel anymore. He was very obviously making noise as he followed them into the woods, but Levy didn't think they could double back without being discovered by Kari.

"I need a break!" Lucy cried out, cringing at the stab of pain shooting through her leg, "I can't run anymore. Please, Lev."

Levy found a small hollow inside a tree, ushering Lucy inside. They both slumped onto the ground, breathing heavily.

"Lev," Lucy said softly, "I need some answers."

"I know," Levy whispered, "Just sit quiet for another minute. I'm still listening for Kari."

Lucy stayed quiet as she was bid while Levy strained her ears.

"I think we're safe for a few minutes," she said finally.

Lucy caught her eye in the darkness. The full moon was shedding quite a bit of light at them.

"We're Angels," Levy said point-blank. There was no point in beating around the bush. Lucy deserved to know.

"Angels," Lucy repeated, looking at Levy uncertainly.

Levy nodded, "I've been with you since your mother died. I'm your Guardian Angel. Natsu and Gray were sent to help us figure out the problems in our lives to give us a sense of happiness."

Lucy's eyes widened. Natsu had used almost the exact same phrase once.

"Natsu and Gray didn't know what we were up against when they came," Levy continued, "Erza actually came to check on them, but stayed out of want of resolving this for us once and for all. As the problems wracked up, Gajeel got involved. Gajeel is part of the special Angel Division, Crime Sorciere. So they got involved too."

"You're all..." Lucy's voice trailed off, "All of you..."

Levy nodded, giving Lucy a moment to absorb all of the information.

"But how did you block that bullet?" Lucy asked, starting to sweat as she tried to make sense of everything, "You were all disappearing and re-appearing...it makes no sense."

"I'm your Guardian," Levy explained, "I can shield your body with mine. We all have _abilities_. Mine are similar to Natsu and Gray's, but I have a few abilities, like the one to become your shield, that Natsu and Gray don't have. Crime Sorciere have special talents all of their own...and I couldn't _begin_ explain their abilities."

Lucy was shaking. She was remembering when she had Natsu had made up. He had said he would _defy Heaven to be with her._ Was that literal? Would Heaven try to separate them? Did he actually love her?

"It's going to be okay," Levy promised, "We're going to get out of this."

Tears started to drip from Lucy's eyes onto her knees. How was _anything_ okay? Her friends weren't human. The man she loved was an Angel. Dan was bound and determined to take her with him tonight. Even if they managed to get rid of Dan, _they'd_ all leave eventually...and Lucy would be alone again. Either that, or they were all completely nuts.

 _Angels? How was that even possible?_

 _And Natsu...what does this mean for us?_

* * *

Erik couldn't sense the girls' Auras anymore. They were hot on the trail of Kari. Gajeel had been crashing through the bushes after Kari. He wasn't trying to hide his presence. He was trying to intimidate Kari into staying on the move to avoid him. He hoped Lucy and Levy would stay still long enough for him to catch up to them or try to veer into his path. The fact that Erik couldn't sense them anymore was unnerving.

"She's this way!" Erik changed direction, leading back to the cliffside.

Gajeel followed him, continuing his ultra-noisy path.

"I've picked up the girls again," Erik said softly. He stopped, Gajeel stopping beside him.

"They're hiding," Erik said softly.

They both glanced around the heavily treed forest. Erik was staring at a particular tree.

"Keep going," Gajeel decided, "We need to lead that woman away from here. If Lucy and Lev are hiding, they need to stay hidden until we can stop her."

He said it somewhat loudly, hoping if Lucy and Levy were nearby, they'd catch his message of 'stay put'.

Erik nodded, breaking out into a run again, heading straight for Kari.

* * *

Natsu was backing up as Dan advanced on him, still trying to talk him down instead of getting into a physical altercation. He knew he would win...he had abilities Dan couldn't compete with...but if he could talk Dan down, maybe violence wouldn't be necessary.

"You're right," Natsu said, "I _am_ a screw up. For years I was completely alone because all I ever did was mess things up."

Dan laughed, "That really doesn't surprise me."

"Well, maybe it would surprise you to know that I've _changed_. Since I've been in Magnolia, I made real friends who care about me. Everything I've done wrong in my past is irrelevant now. Know why?" he paused, standing still.

He realized how close he was to the edge of the cliff...the one that dropped 2000 feet down into a rocky ocean.

"I don't _care_ why," Dan spat, raising the gun to Natsu's head again.

"Because I took the time to form honest friendships," Natsu declared, ignoring Dan's comment, "People started to see the 'me' underneath, Dan...the one who wasn't always in trouble...the one who is a good friend and loyal companion. Pretty soon, they _wanted_ to be my friend. I didn't have to ask them, or do things for their attention. They gave it to me freely. I have to tell you, it's a nice feeling...to be around people because they _want_ to be around you."

"SHUT UP!" Dan roared. He cocked the gun.

"It's true that I've made mistakes!" Natsu continued, "You're right - I was a Class A screw-up! But I'm not anymore, Dan...Know why?"

"QUIT saying that!" Dan yelled at him, "I said I don't want to know why!"

"Because I believed I could change," Natsu half-shouted, "I wanted to know what was possible if I let myself open up to _not_ being a failure."

Dan's fingers were shaking. He wished he had the use of both of his arms so he could steady the gun he held.

"You can change too, Dan," Natsu said, "Because I don't believe that you're a bad guy deep down. I think you've had some really sad circumstances. You've done what you've done because it's all you've known."

Dan was shaking his head, trying to not drop the gun.

Natsu regarded him. There was fear in his eyes. Natsu tried to understand why. Dan was the one with the gun... _Natsu_ should be afraid. But he wasn't. He saw something else in Dan's eyes. Dan had done some things that were inexcusable, but the look in his eyes indicated that he was having an internal war in his head. He didn't _want_ to kill. He didn't _want_ to hurt anyone.

"Whatdya say, Dan?" Natsu took a step toward Dan, extending his hand, "Give me the gun. Start over. Be the good man you were meant to be."

Dan stared at Natsu's outstretched hand, then looked back up at his face.

Natsu was _smiling!_ _As if he actually cared!_ Dan shook his head, backing up slightly. He didn't like the mind games Natsu was playing.

Headlights illuminated the clearing. Cops. The tell-tail blue and red lights flashed.

Dan shook his head again, glancing at Natsu who still had his hand out for Dan to pass him the gun...and still wore that stupid grin on his face.

* * *

Kari stayed still in the shadows of an old oak tree. She knew the two men who stalked her were purposely making that much noise to intimidate her. Sadly, she also knew it was working.

Kari felt _very_ intimidated. Every turn that she took to try to lose them ended in failure. Somehow, they always redirected themselves back onto her path. Other police cars were arriving now, using large lamps to illuminate the area. She had to get out of there...and fast.

She'd lost track of Lucy and Levy after they'd disappeared into the forest. She didn't know how that was even possible. They were within inches of getting hit by Kari's car when they vanished completely.

Foiled out of Jude's money... _again._

She heard movement. She stilled herself completely, barely breathing as she glanced out into the clearing. There were three more squad cars now in addition to the one that had rammed her car. The large man that had been following her stepped out of the woods, pointing to the woods around as he talked to them. _He was organizing a search party._..for both Kari and the two girls. Police were spreading out to do a man-hunt in the woods. If she didn't get out of there quickly, she get caught for sure.

She could see her idiot son at the edge of the cliff with some pink-haired guy. Dan had the gun pointed at him and he looked like he was about to pull the trigger.

She willed him to get out of there, wondering if he ever realized the new potential threat to being captured. As hard as her outer shell was, she did realize Dan was her only son...the only person left on Earth who even slightly cared about her.

She noted the squad car nearby. The passenger door was still wide open as the police officers who had arrived in the car helped with the man-hunt in the forest.

Poising herself, she got ready to jump and run for the car. If she hurried, she might be able to use the element of surprise to pick Dan up and they could both escape.

* * *

Levy had crept out of their tree, warning Lucy to stay put no matter what happened. She crept to the edge of the clearing to see what the new noises where. She let out a deep sigh of relief as she realized Gajeel was in the clearing, organizing a man-hunt in the woods for Kari, Lucy, and Levy. She glanced over to the cliff where Dan still held Natsu in place with a gun. They were in deep conversation. Levy wondered if either of them realized the police closing in on them.

"What's going on?" Lucy said from beside her.

"I told you to stay put!" Levy hissed. Her face softened, "However, I was actually just going to come get you. The police are here."

Lucy let out a sigh of relief.

Lucy's gaze wandered over to the edge of the cliff. Natsu and Dan were still conversing.

"Oh Mavis!" Lucy exclaimed, recognizing that there was a gun pointed at Natsu's head.

Lucy broke out of the woods in a run. Her leg warned her with jolts of pain that she was not able to run like that, but she ignored it. She would never forgive herself if Natsu got shot tonight. She'd already spent part of the evening thinking he was dead. The thought was unbearable.

A moment later, the empty squad car roared to life, squealing its' tires as it accelerated toward the cliff.

"Lucy!" Levy screamed, charging out after her. The car's path was completely erratic, leading Levy to realize that Kari must be behind the wheel. She was chasing Lucy down as Lucy B-lined for Natsu, dragging her leg as she ran.

Levy transported in front of Lucy, preparing to transport them both again when there was a large BANG. The screeching sound of bent mental reverberated through the air, making Lucy and Levy and some of the police officers cover their ears.

She turned, confused at first about the smashed up squad car, wrapped around something. There were no trees at that spot...how...?

Black Steel Gajeel had thrown himself in the path of the speeding car, halting its' advance kind of like a telephone pole would. Police exited the forest, surrounding the car with their guns drawn. Some of them freaked out when Gajeel stepped back from the car, completely unharmed.

Lucy smiled at him, the panic in her face thanking him for whatever he'd just done.

Gajeel nodded.

Satisfied that she wouldn't be getting run over by anything Kari drove _that_ night, Lucy spun on her good heel and headed straight for the cliff. She would have to ask how in the heck an Angel could literally stop a car like that another time...


	55. Chapter 55

_**So Grrrrr...Reviews aren't working AGAIN!**_

 _ **I apologize to the people who reviewed last chapter. I'm not getting emails and I can't see your reviews.**_

 _ **Hopefully it will be fixed very soon! I think this is the 3rd time since I started writing in August!**_

 _ **On that note, I'm posting a bit early again since tomorrow, I'm gone again for the weekend. This time to Abbotsford!**_

 _ **My daughter is in competition skipping and this is her first competition :D**_

 _ **Next Chapter will be Monday, but I'll definitely be spending some time answering reviews as soon as the feature is fixed...**_

 _ **...So please review this chapter too! (And keep those Kleenex boxes handy!)**_

 _ **ENJOY!**_

* * *

Dan had temporarily lowered his guard to watch the scene unfolding in front of them, his eyes lighting up as he recognized Lucy running toward him, her hands outstretched. But a moment later his hopeful smile turned into a frown took as he realized she looked right past him to Natsu. On top of that, he was literally witnessing his mother in the process of being arrested. He had mixed emotions as he watched Rogue read her her Rights and Sting cuff her. Whether she was a model mother or not, she was the only family he had...if he didn't count Samuel.

Natsu had also recognized Lucy's approach, wondering if he should be using Dan's distraction to kick the gun out of his hands.

No. He wanted Dan to _make the decision_ that he was going to change.

"Dan!" Natsu called, diverting Dan's attention from his mother's arrest and Lucy's approach, "Your time is up. What's it going to be?"

Lucy was still running, or trying to anyway. She dragged her leg behind her. Panic ripped through her body as she realized Dan's finger was on the trigger and he was slowly pulling it.

"DON'T SHOOT HIM, DAN! PLEASE!"

She came to a stop about 6 feet away from Dan, her arms outstretched to Dan. A jolt of displeasure hit Dan. She wasn't stretching out her arms for him...she didn't care about what he was going through. She just wanted to save Natsu.

"Please Dan…Don't shoot him…"

Police were closing in as well, guns drawn. Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue halted the advance, giving Dan a bit of space to keep him from doing something stupid. Dan's face drained of colour as he realized it really was over this time. There was nowhere to run. His mother had been captured and he would be on his own no matter what happened now.

"It's not too late," Natsu said, drawing Dan's attention back to him, "Give me the gun, Dan…turn yourself in and start living your life honourably. Samuel did."

"Samuel did?" Dan asked in surprise.

Natsu nodded, "He turned himself in to police."

Dan shook his head slowly, contemplating what to do. He lowered the gun from Natsu's head, then raised it again. He was a crossroads.

"PLEASE DAN!" Lucy screamed.

Her eyes were wide with fear as she caught that glint in Dan's eyes that he was dangerously close to breaking down. She'd seen it before once when they'd had a fight...right before he beat the tar out of her after an escape attempt all those years ago when they'd lived together. It was the attempt after that when she'd actually succeeded in leaving him. Dan was remembering the same thing. He'd never had the chance to apologize to her. He didn't mean to hurt her. She'd just made him so _angry._

"Don't hurt him!" she begged, " _I LOVE HIM_!"

At that moment, something broke inside Dan. Memories of the time he'd spent with Lucy flashed in front of his eyes...moments of laughter...moments of anger... Their lives had been intertwined for a lot of years. How could she not love him? He'd saved her from Jude. He'd taken her in and made her the lady of his household. She didn't always look at him with such repulsion in her eyes. Or did she?

Now he saw Lucy's face, lined with fear...not because Dan was about to taken down by police, but because Natsu could die by Dan's hand. She'd never looked at Dan the way she was looking at Natsu. She really _didn't_ love him. She loved Natsu.

"Please Dan," Natsu said softly, "You can still redeem yourself."

His hands were shaking as he contemplated what to do. The police were surrounding the small group, everyone holding their breath. Dan glanced from face to face. There was no way out of this. The police would take him down no matter what he did. That only left one option. He dropped the gun into Natsu's hand, peering over the edge of the cliff, then backed up a few feet.

Dan shook his head, catching Natsu's eye as a small smile spread out on his face, "There is no redemption for me."

"DAN NO!" Natsu yelled.

It was like it was slow motion. Lucy and Natsu both screamed as Dan took the running start. Cops started running from all sides, attempting to reach the distraught man in time, but they weren't going to make it. They were too far away. Natsu threw himself at Dan's legs, trying to keep him from jumping over the ledge, managing to grab his legs. He could hear the screams of the others around the cliff, but he couldn't comprehend them. Dan was already jumping, Natsu in tow. Lucy managed a boost of energy, throwing herself at Natsu's legs to try to stop both of them from going over. She hooked onto his ankles, trying to yank back. Gajeel and Levy were running for the cliff too, desperately screaming out. Gajeel reached for Lucy, his fingers brushing her shirt. He felt the fabric slip through his fingers.

It was too late.

Levy cried out, wilding grasping in the air, her fingers trying to clench onto Lucy's ankle as it disappeared from her sight. Tears flooded her eyes as Gajeel's huge hands came up empty too. He stared at his empty hands in complete and total shock.

Dan, Natsu and Lucy all disappeared over the ledge.

* * *

Gray stood at the edge of the bed in _transparency_ , tears flowing freely down his face as he regarded his precious Juvia. She wore a ventilation mask, the machine behind her pumping breath into her. Her cardiac signs were getting lower and lower by the minute. Her entire body was wrapped up in bandages. Doctors had had her in surgery to try to stop the internal bleeding caused by the collapse of the storage unit onto her already fragile body.

Gray already knew the prognosis. He'd stood by Juvia's side through the entire operation. The bleeding had been severe and it had done a lot of damage. Still, he found himself praying for a miracle.

The 8-Island crew and Laki were standing around the bed, Lisanna and Cana holding her hands. Tears dripped down their faces as they realized the gravity of Juvia's condition.

"She might be okay still," Kinana said hopefully, watching the machines, "Maybe she just needs time."

Loke put an arm around her, bringing her into his side. He didn't answer her.

"Fight it, Juvia," Virgo whispered into Juvia's ear, "Come back to us."

Tears fell down Lisanna's face at that statement while the others reverberated their agreement.

"When you get out of here," Mest said to Juvia, "We're going to rebuild 8-Island…and it's going to be better than ever."

"And don't think you're going to get any time off just because you're a little busted up!" Cana teased the sleeping Juvia.

"We'll run it for you until you get better," Kinana promised, shooting Cana a look for her inappropriate joke.

"We're family, Juvia," Loke told her, "Don't do this to us. Wake up."

Gray's own tears cascaded from his face. His shirt was wet with tears. He felt helpless and alone and completely responsible for her being in that bed. If he hadn't cut the gas lines to the plane...if he had just taken her out of the storage shed after rescuing Lucy...

"You can talk to her," a voice beside Gray said.

He turned, noticing Mira and Elfman. They stood at the end of the bed.

"Mira…Elfman," Gray said softly.

They were both staring at Lisanna, both of them amazed at the beauty she had become.

Mira turned back to Gray, "We're not here for long. We're here to take Juvia Home."

Gray dissolved into fitful tears, "Please no. Maybe Wendy from Crime Sorciere can heal her. Maybe the doctors stopped the internal bleeding. It hasn't been long enough to know yet! Look at these people. They love her. Don't take her away."

Mira reached for Gray's hand, "She's just too broken, Gray."

"Have you guided someone to Heaven yet?" Elfman asked, putting a supportive hand on Gray's shoulder.

Gray shook his head. He remembered his training. All Angels received training in leading someone to Heaven, but Gray had never actually done it, "That's one thing I haven't done yet. Is there no way at all to save her?"

"If she lives, she'll have sustained brain damage," Mira explained, "She has injuries that will impair her for life…the internal bleeding hasn't stopped. The impact of the collapsing building ruptured her organs, Gray. It would be a long recovery. She will never be healthy again. Would you want her to suffer like that? If we take her to Heaven, she'll join Fairy Tail as an Angel and be of service to the Earthlanders and she won't feel any of that agony."

 _Plus, you will finally have your chance to be together._ Mira didn't say that out loud. She wanted Gray to make the decision with Juvia's best interests at heart.

Gray himself was a mess. His body was still stinging with the injuries that he'd sustained at the docks. However, like Erza, his body was healing quickly. Jellal had explained to Erza during her incident that Angel bodies would heal quickly, even after getting injuries because of ill-thoughts or deeds, if they were truly remorseful for their actions.

He knew what he did – cutting the fuel lines of the airplane – was wrong. It was not his place to decide Samuel and his colleagues would pay the ultimate price. He was sorry he'd done it. If he'd taken that time to save Juvia instead...

Ironically, his actions had _forced Samuel and his crew_ to make the decision to pay for their mistakes. If Gray _hadn't_ cut the fuel lines, Samuel's crew could be halfway around the world by now. If he hadn't been injured because of that decision, Juvia might not be in that bed right now...

The guilt was eating Gray alive.

"It's my decision?" Gray asked.

Mira shook her head, "Ultimately, no. But she'll go peacefully if you lead her."

Gray nodded. He was watching Virgo and Loke replace Lisanna and Cana holding Juvia's hands. They had lost everything too. Their jobs. Their securities. The impact of the last several days had been astronomical. Now they would lose their friend too?

"Gray," Mira said gently, "It's time. Do you want me to do it?"

Gray shook his head, tears streaming down his face as he regarded the faces of 8-Island in front of him. They were still begging her to wake up. They loved her _so much_.

"I'll do it," he choked out. He sucked in a breath, the tears flowing down his cheeks as he contemplated what he had to do. The breath came out, shaky and filled with anxiety.

He took a moment to get himself together. Mira and Elfman both sent vibes of _tranquility_ to him, another ability given to Angels of Death, different from _presence_ and _nudge_ in that it gave courage to a person who had to do something difficult.

He walked to Juvia's bedside, taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly. Slowly, he reached out and slid his hand over her eyes, severing the connection of her consciousness to her broken body.

"Juvia," he said finally when he'd wiped away the rest of his tears, "Juvia, it's time to get up."

Juvia slowly opened her eyes, glancing around at the room.

"I don't hurt anymore," she murmured tiredly, "They must be giving me some good pain meds! Gray? Is that you?"

He smiled, trying to hide his emotions, "Yeah…it's me."

Tears sprang to her eyes, "I thought I was dreaming! You're really here!"

He studied her delighted grin as she threw herself into his arms. He hugged her gently, then tightly when she didn't break the hug. He wanted the close contact. He needed her close contact. She stood on her tippy toes, kissing him on the lips. He kissed her back with every ounce of passion he'd bottled up for her since he'd passed away. A chill swept through him as he clung to her, basking in the feeling of having her in his arms. It was so wonderful to kiss her…and have her kiss him back. He had never stopped loving her. He would never stop loving her.

"Haha! Are we embarrassing you?" Juvia asked Mest when she broke away. He was turned away from her. Mest didn't answer her.

Juvia followed Mest's stare, realizing her friends were all in tears. Loke was running out to the hall, screeching for help.

"What's going on?" Juvia asked, confused. None of her friends were looking at them, and it had been an _impressive_ make out display. Gray must have really missed her. He had not been one for public displays in the past.

She looked down at the bed, following her friends' gaze to see why they weren't looking at her. Her own body was still lying on the hospital mattress. The heart monitors were flatlined, "What happened to me?"

Gray felt the tears returning to his eyes as she stared at her own pale body in the bed and at her friends desperately trying to rouse her.

"You were severely injured…more than once," Gray put his hand on her shoulder, "You were beaten, kidnapped, and then had a building collapse on you."

She nodded slowly, remembering bits and pieces. She knew who the purple haired girl at the edge of the bed was, even though she'd mostly been unconscious during the short time the other girls had gotten to know her – Laki. She knew somehow that the people chasing Lucy and Levy had been captured. All of them had survived the kidnapping. Virgo, Laki, and Lisanna were unscathed.

"I was wearing a bomb vest," she said slowly, "Did it blow up?"

"Not on you, Juves," Gray said slowly and deliberately, struggling to keep his voice from cracking, "I was able to get you out of the vest. All the vests blew up away from the girls and away from Magnolia."

She sighed with relief, "Well, that's good news! So it's over then! All the kidnapped girls made it!"

Gray made eye contact with her, his eyes heavy with unshed tears. She noted the anxiety in his face. He looked years older suddenly. She glanced back at the bed to her ashen white 'other body.'

" _I_ didn't make it, did I? " she asked Gray slowly, "You're here for me, aren't you? You're going to take me Home?"

Gray nodded.

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes too as she glanced back to her own body again.

"How do I have two bodies?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Your old body shell is dying," Gray explained, "Your new body shell remains the same, but it's untainted and unharmed."

"Can they see me?" Juvia asked, gazing at her fingers, then back to the body in the bed, "Can I say goodbye?"

Gray glanced back to Mira and Elfman, begging for help.

"No, Juvia," Mira said softly, stepping into her view, "But it's going to be okay. Something beautiful is going to come out of your death."

Juvia nodded, trying to accept what she was seeing. She was experiencing her own death. It was nothing like she'd thought it would be. The relief from the pain was welcomed. She'd been in dire pain for awhile now. Her reunion with Gray was welcomed too. She knew she would never want to let him go again. But suddenly she was in unfamiliar territory...death. She hoped he would guide her because suddenly fear bombarded her, killing her initial curiosity...she was afraid.

Sensing her anxiety, Gray stretched out his hand.

Juvia stared at the outstretched hand, glancing back at her friends one more time.

Physicians and nurses started storming the room with a defibrillator, trying to shock start Juvia's heart again. The 8-Island crew stood back in the corner of the room, out of the way of the Emergency personnel. They were distraught. All of them.

Lisanna buried her face in Cana's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Mest held Kinana's head to his chest to keep her from seeing the chest compressions Emergency personnel were now invoking into Juvia's unresponsive body. Virgo couldn't keep her eyes off of Juvia. She pushed off Loke's hand, not wanting the contact.

"You made a huge difference in all of their lives," Elfman said softly, "You gave them all a place to call home. Even our Lisanna. You made it so she wasn't all alone after Mira and I passed away. Heaven rewards those who lived good lives."

"But what about them?" Juvia asked, panic in her voice, "They're all jobless now…the restaurant is gone. What will happen to them?"

"It will be okay," Mira promised, "They'll all be fine. Remember you made that insurance policy last year?"

Juvia nodded, still watching her friends. Kinana and Virgo were hugging now. Juvia's friends were ushered out of the room as the doctors made one last attempt at getting her body stabilized again. They watched from the window. Juvia's body on the bed was jumping several inches off the mattress from the defibrillator, but the monitors continued to emit continuous flat lines.

"It'll be okay," Mira promised again, gesturing to Gray.

Juvia reached out, taking Gray's outstretched hand. Their fingers intertwined. She glanced up at him. Gray's face reflected peace and warmth now. It made her feel a little more at ease as she subconsciously let go of her anxiety.

"C'mon Juvia," Gray said softly, squeezing her hand, "Let's go Home."

A luminescent door appeared. Gray and Juvia both took deep breaths as they started toward it. Elfman and Mira took one last look at their beloved baby sister before following the couple through the door. Tears streamed down all four of their faces, each feeling the sense of loss in their own way.

Behind them, they could hear the anguished screams of her friends as doctors pronounced Juvia Lockser dead.

* * *

They were falling. 2000 metres suddenly didn't seem that far away.

Lucy was vaguely aware that she was screaming. Just below her, Natsu was falling too, and below him, Dan. Dan had his arms spread out, accepting his imminent fate at the end of the free dive.

Natsu closed his eyes, praying for a solution. He heard Lucy's screams silence suddenly after a loud thud. She'd hit the side of the cliff and was knocked out cold. He knew if he didn't do something fast, they would all die.

* * *

Sting was almost hyperventilating as he stared blankly at the drop. At this point, it was still too dark out to see much more, but even without daylight, they knew the drop ended with jagged rocks and a violent ocean.

"I…I had her shirt," Gajeel stuttered. He was on his knees, staring blankly at the sky in front of him, in utter shock.

Beside them, Rogue and the other officers joined them. Levy's mouth was stuck wide open. She felt paralyzed, completely unable to react. It was several moments before any of them could even move.

Rogue locked eyes with Sting, shaking his head. There wasn't much to say. It was over. There was no chance anyone could survive a fall like that. He made a dialing gesture to Sting, then excused himself, to call the Coroner's office and a recovery crew.

Levy was on her knees, panting. Her face was ashen. Lucy was gone. She'd almost had Lucy too… she'd missed by inches. She was too shocked to cry. She couldn't say anything. She couldn't see anything except the image in her mind of Lucy and Natsu going over the cliff.

"Lev," Gajeel said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Lev – look at me."

She shook her head in disbelief, pushing his hand away. He drew it back, realizing Levy was in shock and if he touched her the wrong way, she could freak right out.

"Let's go, Shrimp," Gajeel said softly, "We don't want to be here when…the recovery crews get here."

Levy whined, "Please, no."

Sting was shaking his head in disbelief too. With Dan out of the way and Samuel in custody, the ordeal was finally over, but that didn't fix the aching agony that any of them were feeling in that moment.

Crime Sorciere appeared out of nowhere, joining their comrades at the edge of the cliff.

Jellal, Minerva, Erza, Erik, and Wendy glanced at each other as they noted the expressions on everyone's faces.

"Where have you been?" Gajeel asked quietly.

"Finishing what we started with Samuel and the others. Then we had to lead the cops here leaving subtle hints. You left them behind when you left Magnolia. They were hopelessly on the wrong trail," Jellal replied, "What are we looking at?"

"Natsu and Lucy…just went over the cliff," Levy said, the tears finally coming to her eyes. The shock was wearing off. The pain was starting to set in.

Erza fell to her knees with the revelation, an agonized moan escaping her lips. Wendy looked over the edge and gawked at the 2000 foot drop. They couldn't see the bottom of the drop if they tried. Minerva and Erik flanked Levy, sending comfort through her.

"Dan too," Gajeel said, "We missed them by inches."

There was absolute silence for several minutes. Rogue returned to the group, his phone calls made. The recovery crews would wait until daylight now, which actually wasn't that far away.

Sting turned to Jet and Droy, "Take that woman back to town. No sense in staying here anymore."

Jet and Droy nodded, heading to the squad car to take Kari into town.

"Wakaba, Macao, you guys can go too," Rogue said.

All the excess police officers pulled out of the clearing to start a long night of paper work, taking their light lamps as well. Since Gajeel's car was totaled and Kari's was bent in half, they carpooled so that Gajeel could take everyone who needed a ride later back in the remaining squad car.

"We should go," Gajeel said, trying to take Levy's hand.

She shook it off. She didn't want to go just yet. She couldn't accept what had happened.

"Lev..." Gajeel said softly, trying to reach for her hand again.

"No," she whispered, pushing him away, "Don't touch me. Please...don't touch me."

The anguish in her voice sent chills through Gajeel.

"Quiet!" Erik said suddenly. Everyone turned to him, watching him scan the air, "The Aura has changed…"

"What's he talking about?" Sting asked Jellal.

Jellal glanced out to the horizon, a slow smile creeping across his lips as he realized why the Aura had changed. Erza caught it too, standing back up and gazing out to the same spot as Jellal. Minerva and Wendy lifted their heads, listening and watching. Levy glanced around, watching as the Crime Sorciere Angels all had grins spreading across their faces.

"What's going on?" Rogue whispered.

"I don't know," Sting said, "But whatever it is, it has all these guys grinning like idiots."

"Just watch," Jellal said, pointing out to the sky.

The edges of the sky were starting to tint orange. The sunrise's first rays had arrived. In another circumstance, it would be described as breathtakingly _beautiful._

Suddenly, a beam of light shot up from the cliffside, high into the sky. It soared overtop of the group, leaving everyone to stare in awe. Flying around in a circle once, it descended for a landing.

Rogue and Sting's mouths were opened wide as they registered what they were seeing. Natsu Dragneel skidded to a halt behind them, well away from cliff's edge. He adorned massive 6 foot long pure white wings. In one arm, he cradled Lucy. The other held onto a white-faced Dan, who immediately fell to the ground, kissing it as soon as they landed. There was a goldish glow to Natsu as he gently laid Lucy on the ground, suddenly realizing the entire group of onlookers were staring at him.

He smiled as he placed a hand on Dan's back. The man was sobbing, completely broken, yet happy to be alive. He sent a wave of _presence_ through him.

A new type of shock enveloped the people who moments ago had been shocked with grief.

"You're an Angel," Rogue breathed out. He was barely aware that he'd uttered the words.

Natsu looked majestic at that moment. The light of Heaven shone from him, which gave him the golden glow. The wings were pure white – utterly magnificent.

"Please makes sure he gets the help he needs," Natsu said as Rogue and Sting finally woke up from their stupor and started cuffing Dan.

"I had a feeling," Sting said as they pulled Dan to his feet, still staring at Natsu, "There's nothing I can say but…thank you," he looked from face to face, acknowledging that Natsu was not the only Angel standing there at that moment, "Thanks to all of you."

"We need an ambulance for Lucy," Gajeel suggested to Sting as he walked past him, "She knocked herself out somehow and she already had injuries from when Dan ran my car into the tree. I think she's okay - it's just precautionary. And Sting!"

Sting turned, making eye contact with Gajeel.

"You can't tell anyone what you saw here tonight."

Sting nodded, heading for the squad car to make arrangements for Lucy's ambulance.

"You have wings!" Wendy giggled, plucking at one of the white feathers. She turned to Lucy, bending down beside her and placing her hands on her chest.

"Wendy will heal the worst of her injuries," Gajeel explained to Levy, "She's the youngest of us, but in a lot of ways, she's the most powerful."

Natsu's body lit up in light. When the light died away, the wings were gone.

"Angels have the ability to call on Wings," Jellal told Natsu, who was trying to feel his back where the wings had been. The wings had been strangely light – hardly noticeable at all, "But most Angels go their entire time in Heaven and never even _see_ wings. That means you found favour with Heaven."

"Is it true then," Levy asked, "That all Angels have the _capability_ of calling for Wings? It's just not done often unless it's absolutely necessary?"

Jellal nodded.

"You did well, _Angel of Oops_ ," Erza praised him.

Natsu wasn't listening. He was back by Lucy's side, cradling her in his arms. Levy also ran to Lucy, stroking her hair gently.

"I hope the favour he found in Heaven will be enough to exonerate him once they learn about Lucy and Natsu's relationship," Minerva murmured.

Erik nodded, but didn't reply.

"Me too," Wendy agreed.

The ambulance siren was wailing in the distance.

"That's our cue, Angels," Jellal announced, "Natsu, you go with Lucy in the ambulance. The rest of us will catch up to you later."

Instantly, Crime Sorciere disappeared, with the exception of Gajeel. Gajeel nodded to Natsu, taking Levy's hand. She gave it willingly this time, interlocking their fingers as he lead her toward the remaining squad car.

Natsu glanced down to Lucy, kissing her forehead tenderly.

Lucy murmured into his shoulder as she started to wake up, "You're an Angel."

"Yeah," he whispered. He kissed her lips, happy with the job Wendy had done of sealing her wounds. Her eyes drooped. She just needed to sleep for a little while.

"It's over, Luce," he whispered, kissing her forehead again, "Dan and Samuel won't ever hurt you again. You're a free woman."

She stirred, murmuring something in a low voice.

"I love you so much, Luce," Natsu said softly, getting one last kiss in as the ambulance pulled into the clearing.

He picked her up in his arms, glancing at the ambulance crew as they pulled out a stretcher. They were waving to Gajeel and Levy as they pulled out of the clearing, heading back to town.

Glancing down at Lucy, he made a split second decision. He picked her up in his arms.

"I'll take you to the hospital myself," he told her, running at a brisk pace. He held her tightly so as not to hurt her, "I promise. There's just something we need to take care of first."


	56. Chapter 56

_**So sorry I'm late with this update! It was a great, but busy weekend! My daughter pulled off four 2nd place ribbons at the skipping competition**_

 ** _in her age group! Not bad for a little girl who has been skipping for 6 weeks!_**

 ** _I am excited for the next part of the story...the aftermath..._**

 ** _We're heading into the last part of the story! Enjoy!_**

* * *

Morning had come to Magnolia. The sun shone brightly, welcoming the new day. But many residents of Magnolia were hard-pressed to enjoy its' beauty.

Sting had made it back to the station, barking orders as Samuel's crew, Kari, and Dan were all booked and placed into cells for questioning. Rogue had gone to the hospital to make sure Laki was being cared for. He understood her injuries weren't bad and that she'd been there when Juvia Lockser passed away. Sting told him to go when he saw the worry lines on his friend's face.

Crime Sorciere had resumed their posts, overseeing the chaos at the Police Station. It was their job now to erase any memories from witnesses who could testify Angels had attended the events of the night before. They started with anyone who was on the docks – Samuel's crew and Samuel himself, working gradually to the attending officers who had been at the clearing near the cliff.

Sting signed a paper that had been thrust into his face by an officer who was booking Kari. Jackal, Ezel, and Kyoka would face questioning first, followed by Samuel, Dan and Kari.

He called a meeting of the officers on duty. Some of them had been working now for 18 hours.

"Okay, so here's how we need to handle this," he started. His eyes were black, not from Samuel's beating several days ago, but from sheer fatigue, "Anyone who went on shift last night goes home: Macao, Wakaba, Jet, Droy and…all you other people. I'm sorry. My brain is dead. I can't remember names right now."

There were a few snickers in the crowd. Sting knew all of them personally. There was no way he didn't remember their names.

"Don't worry about it, Chief. You should go home too," Evergreen said softly, "You're exhausted."

Sting shook his head, "There's too much to do. I'm not going anywhere for awhile."

Wakaba glanced at Sting worriedly, "Make sure you delegate. You look like you've been bombed."

"Not funny," Sting groaned, "Go on. Get out of here."

The dismissed officers headed for the door.

"The rest of you," Sting continued, "Break into pairs for interrogation of the suspects. We need people working on profiles, searching unsolved crimes to tie to the suspects."

"I'll handle breaking us into teams for research," Orga volunteered, "We've already been getting calls from other stations, trying to connect the names to unsolved crimes in their areas."

Sting nodded his thanks.

"I'll handle the media," Evergreen spoke up, "They're going to need a statement. There's no way citizens didn't notice the explosions and the Emergency vehicles last night. We've been flooded with calls. Crocus has sent some extra units to help us with the explosion areas. Fire crews have the fires out now."

Again, Sting nodded gratefully.

Sting appointed the remaining cops into teams for interrogation, then headed for his office to make a phone call to Onibus. There should be news about the real gold bars by now. The Onibus Police Department had been planning to raid the Heartfilia mansion yesterday night. If they'd tried to get ahold of Sting, they'd have failed miserably since Sting was so busy the night before.

As he dialed the number, Jellal joined him in the office, sending a wave of energy through Sting to give him the strength he needed to complete his tasks. Sting let out a deep breath as he felt a temporary flare of energy course through him, then resumed dialing the number.

* * *

Juvia held tightly onto Gray's hand as they approached a gigantic gold gate. She glanced down at her clothing – a simple white dress that only came to her mid-thigh. Gray wore a white loin cloth that made her blush. She wasn't sure when her attire had changed, but she heard Gray's audible sigh of relief to be freed from the burden of human clothing. It had been awhile since she'd seen him with so little clothing…and she had _missed_ _the sight!_

"You'll check her in?" Mira asked, softly rubbing Juvia's shoulder to encourage her. Juvia's face showed the fear she felt, despite her lustful thought. Not only was she in a completely unfamiliar place, she was still coming to terms with the fact that she was now dead. It was a lot to take in.

Gray nodded, "I'll take care of her."

Elfman pounded his unoccupied fist, waving as he and Mira disappeared into the crowd.

It was a large place. People were everywhere, walking in every direction. Juvia looked down at her feet. She was literally standing on a cloud. It seemed so surreal. Her perception of Heaven had always been that there would be clouds, but nothing in her imagination could have comprehended the utter beauty and magnificence of the place. Buildings were made of white ivory with gold trim. The large gates they had just entered through were pure gold. Paths winded their way in every direction and there were multiple large cherry blossoms lining the courtyard. Serene ponds of rippling water edged the clearing. The place could only be described by Juvia as 'breathtaking'.

"This is the intake area," Gray said softly, squeezing her hand as she continued to glance around.

"All these people have recently died?" Juvia asked in awe.

Gray shook his head, "Some of them. Some of these Angels are couriers, some are greeters. There's a myriad of different people here. Come on…we'll get you checked in."

Juvia glanced up toward the sky, suddenly more curious than afraid. She could see the sun shining down, but the sky was also endless. She could see the moon and the stars and what looked like planets as far as she could see.

"How…is that possible?" she asked, more to herself than Gray.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Gray asked, "The sun never sets here. We can see the entire universe."

"How?" Juvia asked, "The universe is always moving – how can we see all of this?"

"Heaven, unlike Earth, doesn't move. We are at the hub of the universe," Gray explained, "Our view changes from time to time. We have Angels in charge of making sure the universe is always moving correctly. That's just one of the Divisions here. If you have an interest in Astronomy, we can arrange for you to get into that Division when you're ready to start working."

She shook her head, squeezing his hand, "I'm not ready for that commitment yet. I have a feeling there's so much more to see."

He nodded, "You'd be right about that."

"Besides," she said in wonder, glancing around at the magnificent city-like area, "I want to be near you. I want to join _your_ division."

He smiled, blushing slightly. He had hoped she'd want that.

"What Division _are_ you, anyway?" she asked as he guided her to a check-in station.

"Right now? I'm in Cupid…but I'm not sure I'll be in that Division for long," Gray admitted, "I might be sent back to Seasonal or Animal Welfare. I guess I'll know once _I've_ checked in. If they sent Mira and Elfman to come and get you, they're aware of the situation in Magnolia. I'm sure I'll be called for briefing soon."

She smiled, noting a small girl coming into the gates. A tall man was there waiting for her and then embraced for several minutes. She took his hand and he led her to a check in station.

A pretty blonde girl welcomed Gray and Juvia as they approached a check in station, which looked kind of like a ticket booth at a movie theatre.

"Juvia Lockser," the girl beamed at Juvia, "My name is Jenny. Welcome to Heaven!"

Jenny handed Juvia a bag with several items inside. There was a welcome book with a list of rules and regulations and a map of the area as well as an outline of all the different jobs available in the different divisions.

"You'll report to Orientation tomorrow morning at 9 am," Jenny told her, "Directions are in your bundle. Your accommodations -"

"I'll take her home with me," Gray said quickly.

Both ladies stared at him in surprise. Juvia and Gray were still holding hands. Gray flushed red.

"Well, you're going to send her to the intake hotel," Gray sputtered out, "We're old friends…more than old friends…and I remember how scared I was when I got here…and I want to catch up with her again. It's been a long time since we've been able to talk."

Jenny nodded, giving Gray an amused glance, "Okay then. See you tomorrow morning, Juvia."

Juvia nodded, her face slightly flushed. She was dizzily happy at that moment. She was going home with Gray!

Her fear melted away as Gray intertwined their fingers and started to lead her through the gate. Suddenly, being an Angel wasn't so scary. Juvia realized that maybe she and Gray would have the second chance they'd both been pining for since his unfortunate death. And she welcomed it. Never again would doubt come between them.

Beside her, Gray was watching her expressions, thinking the exact same thing.

* * *

Lieutenant Yukino Agria was interrogating Dan Straight in a closed room with a glass one-way mirror. Sting sat on one side of the glass, his mouth wide open at the things Dan was admitting to.

First, Dan accepted the charges that Yukino had laid out before him: attempted murder, stalking, and practising terrorist tactics. He didn't even try to deny them, but accepted everything she said with a curt nod.

It was when she'd asked if he had anything to add that both Yukino and Sting's mouths had dropped open.

"I've killed multiple people," Dan replied with a straight face, "I will try to give you a list, but a lot of them, I didn't even know. They just got in my way when I was trying to find Lucy. Chances are, _I_ won't even remember all the victims. I know you'll recognize one name though…"

Yukino leaned forward, hanging on his every word.

"I pulled the trigger on Jude Heartfilia," Dan stated, "At the time, I wasn't sorry…but I am now. I'm ashamed of how I've lived my life. I want to change."

Yukino seriously didn't know what to say to that. She stared at him, eyes wide. Yukino was an experienced cop and not a lot shocked her, but Dan was _volunteering_ information that would lock him behind bars permanently. He was drawing her a map now of the Magnolia area, outlining the locations of a few of his victims, including the ones who had 'donated' their cars when they had first arrived in Magnolia. The list was so long, Dan couldn't even be sure which ones he had killed and which ones Samuel had killed.

" _Ask him why Jude Heartfilia had to die,_ " Sting whispered into Yukino's ear device.

"Why did you kill Jude Heartfilia?" she asked slowly.

Dan sighed heavily, mulling over his words before speaking in a clear voice, "He wanted to kill Lucy. He knew she had the keys to the storeroom, but she wasn't willing to hand them to him. That night of the fight in the mansion when Lucy and Levy finally left Jude behind…it wasn't just Lucy had overheard something terrible…once he saw the keys, he wanted to kill her too. She was in her room when he attacked her. I guess Levy intervened and the two of them ran. I was just getting into my car when they bolted outside."

Dan was playing with his cuffs, smoothing the metal with his fingers in front of him. His calmness unnerved Yukino, but she put her best game face on.

"She came to my house willingly to get away from Jude," Dan continued, "And I tried so hard to make her happy. _SO HARD._ But she wasn't the mindless pushover I thought she was. She kept talking back to me. My mother was telling me what we needed from her and I tried so many ways to get her to tell me where the keys were. Lucy wouldn't. Meanwhile, my mother had gone behind my back and struck up another relationship with Jude. He was elated to learn she was still alive. When I told them that Lucy had gotten away, he said it was good riddance. He had no intention of chasing her if he could have my mother back in his arms. That angered me, but it didn't push me over the edge."

"What pushed you over the edge?" Yukino ventured to ask.

"When he looked at me dead in the eyes and said it was no wonder my own mother abandoned me," Dan said softly, looking at his fingers, "He told me I was a loser and I couldn't do anything right. He said he never would have allowed Lucy to get away. But he didn't care about that anymore. He was going to spend his life with Kari. To hell with the gold bars and to hell with me. Something inside me snapped and I shot him on the spot. My mother was livid, saying I'd killed the only man she'd truly loved. After a day, she wasn't so angry anymore because without Jude, she had limited access to his funds. She had to be careful about not spending too much and just make it look like transfers to people who worked in the mansion. Regular, small payments. Pretty soon, she forgot Jude even existed. She wanted the gold bars. I guess she started communicating with Porla again. He wanted me to work with his son, Samuel, to locate Lucy. Of course, I had no idea at the time that I was Porla's son too."

He smirked, as if the entire situation was funny. Yukino glanced at the mirror. They hadn't been aware of Samuel and Dan's connection through Porla.

"Small world, right?" he asked.

Yukino glanced toward the one-way mirror again. He was creeping her out with how calm he was.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"I'll work on this list," Dan said, continuing to write out the transgressions he and Samuel had wracked up, "It's going to take awhile."

Yukino nodded, standing up, "Call me when you're ready. There's a button here on the wall you can push."

She exited the room and entered the room beside it. Her head was swimming with the information she'd just heard.

"What do you think?" she asked Sting, joining him.

He shook his head, "I think it's going to take weeks, maybe months, to get the entire story. Maybe we'll never know all the details."

Yukino nodded, "He sang like a canary."

Sting sighed, "This morning, Samuel confirmed a lot of what Dan said. He talked too. And Ezel. And Jackal. And Kyoka. Kari is tight-lipped. But the evidence the others admitted to is astounding. They admitted their ties to Samuel's gang and gave details on some of the drug deals that had gone wrong, even confessed their undying loyalty to Porla after all these years. They're all going away for a long time."

"So what happens now?" Yukino asked.

Sting glanced up at her, his weariness making him age 10 years, "Now we get ahold of the DA's office and find out what to do with them. My guess is they'll all be transferred to Crocus to wait for their pending trials."

"You should go home to sleep," Yukino said, placing a gentle hand on his bicep, "You're exhausted."

He shook his head, "Not yet. Crocus Police have found the gold bars. They're being transported as we speak to Crocus. I'll need to write my report on what I know about them. Once the DA is contacted, I still have to make sure the other victims are okay too. I hear Juvia Lockser didn't make it…"

Yukino sighed heavily. She was sad about Juvia too. In recent years, Juvia had become well known in the community for her support of the homeless shelter. It didn't surprise her that Sting was concerned for the other victims. That's just the kind of person he was. _He cared_. Yukino been working with Sting Eucliffe for the past 5 years and secretly had a mad crush on him. But he was married to his work. He barely even noticed the female officers were different from the male officers of his precinct. Still, she was hurting for him as he faced the aftermath of this insane incident. She vowed to stay near him for the rest of the day and help any way she could.

* * *

Gray and Juvia were strolling arm in arm from his residence, located closely to the Entrance of Heaven. They had been to Gray's house, where he'd shown her the guest bedroom. She had blushed slightly. Gray realized she thought she'd be sleeping with him that night…but he didn't want to jump into things. He wanted to treat her right this time. He wanted to earn the right to love her again.

He was showing her around the other parts of Heaven. He pointed out the Mermaid Heel Division Headquarters and explained that they were largely in charge of the oceans of Earthland…tides and marine life, etc. There were other planets that had marine life. Mermaid Heel looked after them as well. The Blue Pegasus Division was in charge of Heaven Intakes and orientating newcomers to Heaven's Divisions and also looking after other planets, such as Edolas. Lamia Scale controlled the other gate – to the people who could not enter Heaven – and also other Heavenly plains for Angels who didn't work for Heaven, but had simply moved on to their afterlife. They made supplies for the Heavenly Angels.

Crime Sorciere didn't have a Heavenly headquarters, primarily living on Earthland to perform their functions. Gray spent some time explaining to her about them…the Doovers, which made her laugh out loud at Natsu's nickname for them. She was initially hurt at the prospect that Gajeel had lied to her...he had passed away a long time ago, but as Gray got into details about the function of Crime Sorciere, her hurt changed to proudness. Gajeel was part of an amazing Division with fantastic purpose.

Finally, they came across the Fairy Tail Division Headquarters, where Gray worked. Fairy Tail looked after Earthland. It was a grand building that took Juvia's breath away.

Juvia heard a young girl asking questions to her escort as they neared the Intake Hotel.

Juvia glanced at her, her eyes widening as she recognized Sorano. Gray recognized her too, holding his hand on Juvia's shoulder to keep her from attacking one of her captors. Anger flashed in Juvia's eyes.

Sorano stared at Juvia momentarily before collapsing to her knees in front of her, her head bent in complete submission. Sorano's Guardian, a woman Gray recognized as Sherry Blendy, was as shocked as they were.

"I'm so sorry," Sorano whimpered, "What we did was so wrong. Please forgive us."

Juvia regarded the beautiful white-haired new Angel in front of her. She had done some terrible things. Juvia couldn't even make a list. She hadn't really seen any of them except for Jackal and the odd appearance of others in their group when they brought food to the group locked in the storage room. Sorano had delivered their lunch once.

She was sincere, Juvia decided, feeling her anger drain away. She wasn't mocking in any way at all. Juvia was surprised that toward the young girl was dissipating. In fact, she was proud of Sorano for making the decision to change…that was the only way she could get into Heaven, right? She was given a Doover.

Juvia got down to her knees to hug the girl, "What happened was horrible and it's going to take me some time to process…but it looks like you've made the decision to pay for your mistakes. I forgive you."

Sorano regarded Juvia with wide eyes as Juvia took her into her arms for a tight hug.

"We'll be in Orientation together tomorrow, right?" Juvia asked.

Sorano nodded.

"See you tomorrow," Juvia said softly.

Sorano waved as she got of the ground to follow Jenny to their next destination.

"That couldn't have been easy," Gray said softly after a long silence. They had resumed walking again.

"It wasn't," Juvia admitted, "But knowing she was a part of the crew that ultimately killed me makes me feel more sorry for her than anything. The things we learned in Crocus…once someone is inducted into that way of life, it's not easy to get out, is it?"

Gray shook his head, reaching for her hand as they continued on their way in silence. She smiled up at him. She loved being near him again. It was if their unspoken sentiments didn't have to be said out loud. They both felt the same way. They both wanted to try again.

* * *

Sting shut the car door, thudding twice on the roof with his fist to indicate the squad car could pull away. He was sending Dan for psychiatric evaluation in Crocus. Kari had also been sent to Crocus as well…to face charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit a crime, amongst a lot of other charges yet to be laid. She had an appointment at the court house in 3 days. Samuel and his crew had left this morning in a transport van, charges too long to list pending. The evidence handed in to the Onibus Police had enough charges to implicate all of them for a looooong time.

"Magnolia is safe again," Jet said as Sting started walking into the police station. He had just returned to active duty after a good rest. Other cops were showing up again too, knowing there was still much to be done before this situation would settle.

Sting grunted his acknowledgement. He needed time, just like everyone else, to process what had happened. A full day had passed now since the arrests had been made. It had been a very, very busy time for Sting. He was running on only a few hours of sleep, not wanting to miss any details. He stubbornly refused to go home, even when Rogue insisted.

 _Angels_. And not just one Angel. There were lots of them. Sting had been in Magnolia for a lot of years now. He'd taken down drug rings, dealt with gangs, and every other crazy thing life could throw at him…but this was the first time he'd ever had a situation so dire, angelic presence was required. His mind was blown.

It seemed the more the investigation went on, the more Sting was brought to realize how deep this situation ran.

Evidence was being turned over to the Parole Board to try to keep Jose Porla where he was. It was unlikely he'd ever breathe air outside the prison again. The real gold bars had been recovered. And now, his most trusted lackeys would all be sent to prison with him. Much of the evidence incriminating Porla had also incriminated Ezel, Jackal, and Kyoka as well. Sorano was the only one who would be without sentence, having passed away in the explosion.

Investigators were now digging into Heartfilia's bank accounts to see where the money was going. Part of it was revealed to be withdrawn from an account that Jude had given Kari access to a very long time ago. The account was in his name, but she had the ability to transfer funds, just like Dan had said. She was using this money to give Samuel and Dan money boosts when they ran out. She took small amounts at a time and at regular intervals to avoid being suspicious. Porla had been having a representative of his transfer funds to a second account in Samuel's name to cover their wages. It was determined after a lot of digging that someone inside the bank had been paid well by Jude Heartfilia to keep access open to Kari. Somewhere along the way, he'd become aware that she was not dead. It came out later than Kari had confronted Jude, re-established a relationship with him, and promised Lucy to Dan. When Dan had taken Lucy and Levy in after the fight, both parents lost track of their kids until Lucy managed to run from Dan.

Dan had volunteered all that information when he was going through questioning with Sting and Rogue. Every last detail was checking out to be true. It was so odd…like he was volunteering to tell about every transgression he'd ever committed…hence the pysch evaluation.

Beyond that, towns across Fiore were coming forward with their unsolved crimes of the last 8 years. A lot of them could be attributed to Dan and Samuel's tracking Lucy and Levy.

And they were _still_ finding out new tidbits of information pertaining to the story.

Rogue exited the station, leaning back against the stone wall with Sting silently for a good 5 minutes.

"You okay?" Rogue asked finally.

"I'm in shock," Sting admitted.

Rogue nodded, "I've found that as the years go on as a police officer, sometimes it's just better to let it go and not ask questions."

Sting glanced at him with an amused gleam in his eye. They were the same age and close to the same rank and experience levels, "You learned that in your experience, huh?"

Rogue nodded again, returning the half-smile.

"I'm not sure how we're going to explain any of this to our superiors. Dan, Lucy and Natsu _did_ go over the cliff. It's not like we can tell them they didn't," Sting huffed. This had been bothering him. It was normal after a situation like this for the attending officers to be questioned on what happened and how.

"Don't worry about it," a voice said beside them.

Rogue and Sting both glanced to their right. Jellal and Gajeel stood there, both of them smiling.

"We came to say goodbye," Gajeel said, pulling Sting into a brotherly hug.

Sting looked surprised. He'd never seen Gajeel act 'brotherly' to anyone before. Jellal hugged Rogue and then the men switched.

"What happens now?" Rogue asked.

"Well, most of the witnesses involved have been convinced that there was never Angelic interference," Jellal said, "Samuel's crew included. Witnesses have forgotten most of the last 10 minutes on the cliff and what happened at the docks. Natsu, Lucy, and Dan never fell. None of us were hit by bullets. And Gajeel did not bend a car in half by playing statue," Jellal chuckled.

"And what about Lucy and Levy?" Sting asked.

"That," Jellal said with a heavy sigh, "Remains to be seen. Levy will remain Lucy's Guardian for now."

"Is she okay?" Rogue asked, having only picked Laki up that morning from the hospital. She was okay, but they'd kept her for awhile for observation just to be sure.

Gajeel nodded, "The ambulance was a safety precaution. I'll head to the hospital next to see how she's doing. We've all been so busy, we haven't checked in on her yet. I'm sure Natsu has been keeping a close eye on her."

Both Rogue and Sting let out sighs of relief.

"So you're here to convince us you're not real then?" Sting asked, going back to the earlier statement 'convincing all witnesses that the incidents didn't actually happen'.

Gajeel and Jellal exchanged glances. They _could_ erase Sting and Rogue's memories, but generally it needed to be done immediately after the incident. As it was, Crime Sorciere spent the past day doing damage control, going to every witness they could think of and altering their memory of every event that had any traces of Angelic intervention. They'd had lengthy discussions on the matter of Sting and Rogue, finally deciding that perhaps it couldn't hurt to have some allies in Magnolia.

"Actually," Jellal said, "We were thinking maybe we wouldn't with you two. You two have been very important to the outcome of all this. If you could keep our secret…maybe there will be a time in the future where we can work together again."

"We'd like that," Sting said, Rogue nodding beside him.

"Good," Gajeel smiled, stepping back with Jellal as they turned to go, "Then we'll be watching. If you need us, just call my cell."

"You never look at your messages!" Rogue yelled as Jellal and Gajeel disappeared into thin air.

They both stared at the spot.

"So...coffee?" Rogue asked.

Sting shook his head, "Maybe later. I think I'm going home to sleep for awhile."

Rogue laughed, "I think that's a good idea."

* * *

"What do you mean there was no one at the clearing to pick up?" Gajeel demanded.

He was at the hospital on the phone with the ambulance crew that had been sent to the clearing to get Natsu and Lucy. Crime Sorciere had been at the hospital for an hour, waiting for news on Lucy's whereabouts. It had been a day since the incidents, but everyone had been so busy wrapping up messes, no one had come to check on Lucy.

Levy's eyes were wide, anxiously awaiting the end of the phone call. She had spent the past day doing errands such as checking on Lucy and Natsu's animals and helping Crime Sorciere with tracking down Angel witnesses. It hadn't occurred to her to not trust Natsu to get Lucy to the hospital. Gajeel hung up, lowering his eyes as he collected his thoughts.

"They ran," Erza stated, who had also been helping Crime Sorciere with their tasks over the past day.

"No way," Levy shook her head, "Lucy is hurt. Natsu would never endanger her like that."

Jellal was deep in thought, "He was the one who was trying to talk Dan into doing the right thing. It doesn't make sense that he'd run."

"He knows his time with Lucy is limited though," Minerva pointed out, "Lucy and Levy are safe now. Maybe he thinks the only way he can stay with Lucy is to run."

"He didn't appear to have any ulterior motives aura-wise," Erik said, "And an Angel can't sprout wings and then do something completely against Heaven."

"But his love for Lucy is forbidden," Wendy reminded him, "It's already against Heaven."

"We should give him time," Levy glanced from face-to-face, "I don't think he ran with her. He's really trying to do the right thing. That's evident in the way he dealt with Dan."

"He will be called to report in," Erza said, a grimace on her face, "And though I don't agree with it, I suspect his relationship with Lucy will be first and foremost on the report agenda. We've got to find them _before_ he's called in. It will be disastrous if Heaven realizes Natsu and Lucy are missing."

The others saw the desperateness in Levy's face. Gajeel moved closer to her, encircling her waist with his arm and drawing her back to his chest to comfort her.

"We'll give him a couple hours," Jellal decided, "Then we have no choice but to go find him."

Levy let out a sigh of relief, but her eyes were wide with fear.

 _Lucy. Natsu…where are you?_


	57. Chapter 57

The crew of 8-Island were meeting for dinner at a small restaurant near their beloved restaurant. They sat forlornly, mostly staring at each other, for a good long time. There wasn't a lot to say. Juvia had passed away. There was nothing binding them together now. They were all jobless and would soon be homeless too if they didn't start looking for new employment.

Laki sat with the table too, having been invited since she'd been with them when Juvia had passed. Rogue would pick her up after the dinner.

"She was funny," Kinana said out of the blue, "Juvia made me laugh even on my worst days."

The others chuckled slightly, agreeing with her odd sentiment.

"She stuck up for us. Nobody messed with her employees," Lisanna said softly, "Remember that man who hit on me and wouldn't let go of my wrist?"

Loke had a smile on his face, "I was about to intervene, but Juvia was already across the restaurant, chucking her drink right in his face and then told him off until he was blue in the face. He was mortified. He even paid for his meal before he left."

"And her theme nights," Virgo sighed, "She was so surprised when we said that Rubber Chicken Friday wouldn't take off."

"But she was _SO NOT SUBTLE_ about it when it turned out to be really popular," Cana laughed.

"Rubber chicken Fridays?" Laki asked, smiling slightly.

"Rubber Chicken Friday was all chicken specials," Mest explained, "Every chicken plate was discounted, but if you happened to receive the plate with the rubber chicken on it, your meal was free for the evening."

They all laughed nervously. Only Juvia could make something like that popular.

"Wienie Wednesday," Virgo lamented. The others snickered, "Kids received unlimited free hot dogs if their parents ordered a meal. It was shockingly popular."

Laki felt a little out of place, as she hadn't actually known Juvia. Juvia was in pretty bad shape when she'd been thrown in the room with them. She was about to excuse herself when a tall man approached the table.

"Excuse me," he said, bowing slightly.

The 8-Island crew all stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"My name is Max. I'm a lawyer…Juvia Lockser's lawyer," he paused, letting them all take in the information, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. You're Juvia's staff, aren't you? Of 8-Island?"

"How…did you know who we are?" Mest asked slowly, one eyebrow raised.

"Oddly enough," Max said, "I was just having dinner with a colleague. I…need you all to come by my office tomorrow. Juvia has left a few things to you. And we need to discuss it. This is quite the coincidence that I've run into you! With the restaurant burned, I wasn't sure how I was going to find any of you!"

The others thought that was odd too.

"All of us?" Kinana asked incredulously.

Max nodded.

"What did Juvia leave us?" Loke asked, "Hopefully pictures and whatnot?"

Max shook his head, "We will need to discuss things tomorrow. Let's just say you'll be glad you came by. Can you come by my office at 11:00 or so?"

He handed Loke his business card.

They glanced at one another.

"We'll be there," Cana promised, swigging back the last of her wine.

Max nodded, heading back to his table.

"That was weird," Virgo commented, still watching him take his seat.

The others nodded.

Beside the table, Wendy smiled. She had been tasked with overseeing the 8-Island crew. Minerva had been assigned to check out Juvia's will and whatnot. It was their combined mission to ensure that the 8-Island crew would be looked after…and Juvia had begged Gray, who had contacted Gajeel (who had answered his cell phone for once), to ensure that her employees would be found before they spread out to go their own ways. She was worried they wouldn't receive her gift. Minerva had spent the day learning what Juvia had left them a little over a year ago when she renewed her insurance policy. There was enough money between the insurance, the apartment, and her investments to keep them all looked after for a very long time.

Laki smiled, honoured to be part of a moment that was so sentimental. Lisanna had started to cry. Juvia had thought about them even before her death. She intended to take care of all of them. Laki felt a closeness to this group that she couldn't explain. Her bond to Virgo and Lisanna was explainable – they'd been through a major trauma together – but she felt accepted by the others as well.

Rogue arrived to pick Laki up, greeting the 8-Island crew with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad to see you're all safe. I'm really sorry about Juvia," Rogue said.

"We're glad it's over," Cana replied, "It's going to be awhile before any of us sleep well at night."

"Me too," Rogue admitted.

"Come out with us again," Mest suggested, "We're…likely to have to go our own ways, but we're all going to stay in touch."

Laki and Rogue nodded, leaving the table.

"Are you okay?" Rogue asked Laki, noting her odd expression.

"I am," Laki confirmed, "I'm just _overwhelmed_. So much has happened. It had nothing to do with me, and it had nothing to do with the 8-Island staff, yet we're all bonded together. I can't explain it."

"I think I understand," Rogue said softly, opening the door to the passenger side, "And what will you do now?"

"I'm back to square one," Laki said dejectedly as Rogue helped her up into his truck, "I have no money, no job, and nowhere to go. Maybe I'll have to call my parents."

"You survived a horrific ordeal," Rogue said gently, "I'm not kicking you out. You have a place to stay for as long as you want."

Laki thanked him quietly.

"Don't be in a hurry to move on," Rogue suggested, as he put on his seatbelt. He glanced at her, offering a smile, "I like you. And it's the first time in a long time that I haven't felt lonely. It's nice to come home to someone."

She returned his smile, placing her hand on his, "Me too, Rogue. I'm very thankful to you."

"Let's get you home to bed," Rogue said. He flushed, "I mean – to let you sleep for awhile. You must be exhausted."

Laki giggled lightly at him. It was true that she hadn't slept in a few days. He hadn't slept either - at least last night, possibly the night before as well. His face flushed. Her hand was still on top of his on the seat.

"I know what you meant," she said softly, "Let's go home."

* * *

Gajeel, Levy, Erza and Jellal were in the clearing by the cliff again with Erik, who was trying to sense their Aura trail. Working crews had arrived at the area to remove the cars that had been damaged. They didn't notice the group of Angels doing their own investigation.

"It's too cold," Erik announced after a few minutes of examining every area he figured Natsu and Lucy could have made their exit, "I can't sense them at all. The Aura trail is gone."

Jellal frowned. This was not good. He knew it was only a matter of time before Heaven called for them. They would want full reports of what had happened. And they would want Natsu there personally.

"They'll show up!" Levy expressed again, "Natsu would not jeopardize Lucy by running!"

Erza shook her head, "I don't want to believe it either, Levy, but the fact is, it's been a day now."

"Where could they run that they wouldn't be found by Heaven?" Levy argued, "They didn't run!"

Erik glanced toward the trees, staring at a spot for a moment.

"Did you pick something up?" Jellal asked.

Erik shook his head slightly, turning a different direction, "There's no evidence at all anymore."

Levy's cell phone lit up. Her face went white. Without even glancing at it, she knew who the text message was from. Simultaneously, Jellal, Gajeel, and Erza's cells lit up as well. It was a text message from the Heavenly Council. They were being called Home. They had 12 hours to show up and report to the Council.

"Let's go back to the house," Jellal suggested, "If they don't show up in a couple hours, we'll have no choice but to report without them."

* * *

Gray was outside the Orientation building, waiting for Juvia. He hoped she'd had a good day. He knew it couldn't be easy sitting in the same room as Sorano. Yesterday, she had been really good about it. He was pretty sure Juvia was going to fit in well in Heaven.

"Gray! Gray, my love!" Juvia waved at him as she exited the building.

"You know," he said, a slight smile on his lips, "There was a time when it would bother me that you'd be so bold as to be affectionate in public."

"Oh!" Juvia's eyes widened in alarm, "I'm so sorry! I won't do it again!"

He smoothed his hand down Juvia's face, "I missed you, Juves."

"I missed you too," she said shyly.

"And I don't care anymore. I want to be with you and I don't care who knows it," Gray kissed her cheek, staring into her eyes for a moment, "It will be different this time, Juves. If you'll give me another chance, I'll listen to you...I'll make sure you know you're the most beautiful Angel in Heaven."

They'd both been avoiding the issue for days. Both knew the conversation had to come up sometime. Their eyes locked.

"We don't eat in Heaven," Gray said softly, "So I can't really take you for a dinner date. But maybe you'd consider doing something else with me? Our second first-date?"

Juvia nodded, "Please."

He smiled, kissing the top of her forehead, but frowned as his cell phone went off. Who would be calling him?

"It's Fairy Tail," Gray said slowly, looking at the call display. He made eye contact with Juvia, his heart falling to his feet, "I'm sorry, Juves...we have to hold off on our date. I've been called for briefing."

* * *

Natsu cradled Lucy in his arms. They were in a secluded cavern down by the ocean. A waterfall cascaded behind them into the bay. Lush greenery surrounded them. They were lying in a bed of moss, Natsu leaning against a tree and Lucy curled up on his lap.

She was starting to wake up. He stroked her hair lovingly, taking in all her features and her scent and committing it to memory.

"Natsu?" she asked as she opened her eyes.

He kissed her forehead, "How are you feeling?"

She paused, mulling over the question, "My leg hurts and I think I bumped my head, but I feel surprising good."

Natsu silently thanked Wendy for the healing she'd poured into Lucy. In all likelihood, Lucy had slept out of sheer mental exhaustion.

"Where are we?" Lucy asked, sitting up and taking a look around.

It was a beautiful spot. The water was calm. Small sea life bustled in nearby tide pools. There was an absolute serenity to the area. Lucy felt completely at ease here.

"We're in a little cove," Natsu answered, "We'll go back to Magnolia shortly. We need to have you checked out by doctors just to make sure you're okay."

She glanced up at him. He was looking at her with all of the love that he felt for her, but there was something else hidden in his eyes. She melted a little bit into his embrace, trying to identify the hidden expression.

"How long did I sleep?" Lucy asked, yawning.

"A little over a day," Natsu said, brushing her hair from her face.

She could hear the dilemma in his voice. He was saying truthful words, but it wasn't the entire truth. His eyes were sad.

"Why are we here, Natsu? Where's everyone else?" she asked finally.

"I'll take you back to Magnolia soon," he promised, "I just wanted a chance to talk to you first. I owe you some explanations."

"Levy told me you're all Angels," Lucy said softly, "I didn't know whether to believe her at first, but the things I saw at the dock…and when we were falling…"

She sat up, moving beside him so they could talk. He wrapped his arm around her, bringing her into his side.

Natsu nodded finally, "It's true, Luce."

She glanced up at him, "You saved Dan and I…you had wings."

He nodded again.

"And that's what you've been trying to tell me," she ran a hand down his face, his hand covering it and holding her hand to his lips.

"Yes," he said, "That's what I've been trying to tell you."

She smiled, "It's over, isn't it? Dan and Samuel have both been arrested. I don't have to run anymore."

"You're a free woman," he agreed, kissing her hand again before intertwining his fingers with hers and lowering their hands to his lap, "Dan and Samuel won't hurt you anymore. And they'll both get the help they need to turn their lives around."

"Thank you," she whispered. She shifted her body again so that she straddled his lap, wrapping both arms around his neck, "I love you, Natsu…my own personal Angel."

Her lips grazed his in a long, sentimental kiss. He savoured it, drinking her in as though it would be their last kiss. He was vaguely aware of her position on his lap arousing him…but this was not the time. He had to tell her while he had the chance.

He broke the kiss, keeping their foreheads together.

"Luce," he began, "I want to tell you about myself. Things I couldn't tell you before. And then we need to talk about what's going to happen now."

She nodded, going in for another kiss. He placed his fingers against her mouth.

"Please Luce…please listen to me first."

She saw the sadness in his gaze and sat back on her heels beside him, giving him her full attention. She didn't like the look in his eyes. But she had to let him say whatever he needed to. It was obviously extremely important to him.

Natsu sat up straighter against the tree, taking one hand. The sadness in his eyes bothered her.

"You know I never had a home per se. I told you that. I grew up in the orphanage in Heaven. They tell me I did have a human life once. I died as a child. I don't remember ever being here on Earthland. Other Angels stayed away from me because I was so completely alone and so prone to making catastrophic mistakes."

Lucy kissed his fingertips, "I can't imagine that. You would think in Heaven of all places, you would be accepted and loved. Especially you. You're so sweet...and innocent…and…"

"Please let me finish," Natsu said softly, "We don't have a lot of time."

She frowned, not liking the insinuation of that comment, but gestured for him to continue.

"I've been a failure all my existence," Natsu continued, "They call me the _Angel of Oops_ in Heaven because I botch everything I do. Even as a child, the other kids stayed away from me because I was odd and incapable of doing anything without messing up. Once I was an adult and could work in different Heavenly Divisions, I would mess up things that affected the Earthland world. Constantly. Sometimes I even annoyed myself with my mess-ups. The point is, I'm a screw-up."

He chuckled, the angst of the memories cutting deep into her. He was in a lot of pain over this, she realized. She wondered where he was going with this conversation…why he would separate them after such a wild confrontation with Dan and Samuel to talk to her alone like this? Wouldn't he want to be with the other Angels?

"You're not a screw up," she whispered, "You saved me. Literally and figuratively."

He gazed into her eyes. She was trying to identify the source of his sorrow for this conversation. It sounded like a confession…like he was trying to express his love for her, but that didn't explain the pain in his eyes.

"This mission," Natsu said softly, "was kind of a last ditch effort to help me find my place in this universe. They paired me with Gray to try to help me find somewhere to belong, maybe make a true friend along the way."

"It worked," Lucy said, a light in her eyes. She was trying to get him to smile…anything to get that pained look out of his eyes, "You've made a lot of good friends…and you met me. You've made a huge difference in my life, Natsu. You helped me to see the world is not all bad…taught me to see the beauty in sunsets and appreciate the small details in life. You made me smile again and taught me how to laugh and love."

He smiled slightly, "And you did the same for me," he agreed, "You made me believe I'm lovable. For the first time in my existence, I wanted to protect someone. I wanted to make your life better. You taught me how to live."

"We're good for each other," Lucy murmured, leaning in to kiss him.

He accepted the kiss, kissing her back with all the love he felt for her, but made sure to pull away. He had to tell her.

"We're very good for each other," Natsu agreed. He frowned, forcing himself to get to the point of why he'd brought her here, "but our love is forbidden."

She stared at him for a minute, shaking her head slightly, "Forbidden?"

He nodded, "The laws of Heaven state that an Angel cannot and should not fall in love with a human…especially an assignment."

Tears edged into his eyes at the same time they appeared in hers.

"But you said –"

"I know," Natsu interrupted, "I said I'd never leave you. I knew it was wrong, Luce…I don't want to leave you. I love you more than anything that exists. I thought maybe if I could help you get rid of Dan and Samuel, Heaven might reconsider letting me stay with you."

"You're going to leave me," Lucy's face turned white, her expression somewhat of a cross between anguish and fear, "And now that Dan and Samuel are gone, Levy's going to leave me too."

"That's not going to happen! Levy will stay your Guardian Angel. And I'm going to fight to be with you too," he promised, "I love you and I belong with you more than I ever belonged in Heaven."

She studied his face, seeing he meant every word. Still, the sadness in his eyes nagged at her.

"I thought it was important to tell you the truth," Natsu continued, "Because I haven't been doing a very complete job of that. I've tried, Luce. I've wanted to tell you so many times…"

"I know," she whispered.

She kissed him lightly on the lips, tears sliding down her face.

"I want to be honest with you…that I don't what's going to happen from here. As far as I know, Heaven hasn't called me Home yet to report on my mission…which is your and Levy's happiness. But some major things have happened. it's kind of…inevitable. They're going to call me Home and they're going to tell me what I have with you is forbidden," he said, tears choking his voice, "but I know what I want…what I need…I need _you._ "

She kissed him again, throwing her body against him. Tears streamed down her face.

"You said once that you would defy Heaven to be with me," she whispered against his lips. Her hands stroked his arms, trying to comfort him, "You meant that literally, didn't you? And you also said once – and Levy said it a second time – that your mission was to help me find happiness. And you said it again just now."

He nodded, rubbing her lower back in small circles. Her fingers on his arm muscles felt really good and very comforting.

She pulled back to look at him directly in the eyes, " _You're_ my happiness, Natsu. I need _you_."

They both stopped moving, locking eyes as their tears mingled from their close contact.

"We could run," Lucy suggested, "Nobody knows where we are right now. We could disappear and make a life somewhere."

"How do you hide from Heaven?" he asked softly, "Plus, it's no better than you running from Dan all this time. I don't want you to spend your life running, Luce. You deserve more. You deserve a career and marriage…and kids."

" _With you!"_ she stressed, "I want that _with you_."

"Luce," he whispered, his eyes wide with desperation, "I have no doubt in my mind your writing career would take off if you could just submit some of your work. You're free now. You have no reason to hide your publications. You can make a life for yourself!"

She cocked her head – how did he know about that?

"I would marry you in a heartbeat," he continued, taking a deep breath, "But I don't even know if I can _offer_ you children. I have no idea if an Angel can have children with a human. Can you live with that? Being with me might mean some serious consequences."

She resumed rubbing her hands up and down his arms, pausing to look at the waterfall as she thought things out. His eyes were full of doubt. She could sense his inner turmoil.

"Then there's no choice," Lucy said softly, making direct eye contact again, "We'll adopt. You were raised in an orphanage and you weren't shown love. We'll make it our mission to show as many orphaned children about love as possible, Angel or human. Together."

Their eyes remained locked for several minutes, exchanging the truth of their absolute love for each other. They both believed they belonged together. Maybe…somehow…there would be a way.

"Luce...I won't blame you if you decide it's too much," Natsu whispered, his voice shaking, "My original mission was to find someone for you. Someone good with a kind heart who would love you for who you are. I can still do that. I'll find someone who'll be good to you…someone who won't ever hurt you."

Lucy shook her head vigorously, "No! I don't want that, Natsu. It doesn't matter who you 'find' for me. He won't be you. I want you."

"But what if Heaven won't let us be together?" Natsu's voice squeaked, "You have to promise me. You have to promise you'll move on and fall in love with someone else."

"I won't!" she stated defiantly, "If Heaven won't allow an Angel and a human to be together, then I'll kill myself. Then we'll both be Angels. There's no law against Angel and Angel relationships, right?"

They locked eyes again. The truth of her resolve reflected through her eyes as she felt tears dripping down her face.

"Don't do that," Natsu said in a low voice, "Don't even talk like that. You have a lot of years left ahead of you. It's not an option, Luce. Plus, there's so many Divisions...Luce, there's no guarantee we'd end up together. And I couldn't deal with it if your life ended because of me."

She paused, searching his facial features for hope. She wrapped her arms around him.

"Then fight for us, Natsu," she said, kissing his nose and then his ear, "Go back to Heaven when the time comes and fight for us. I don't care what it takes. I'll wait for you."

It dawned on him that she had baited him, trying to give him the courage to stand up against Heaven. She would probably kill herself if it was the only way, but the expression on her face was not that of absolute distress. It reflected her willingness to do anything to be with him... determination to find a way. She awed him…her beauty, her wisdom, and her natural kindness. And yet she'd chosen _him_ , even knowing how imperfect he was as a being. She didn't see the _Angel of Oops_. She saw Natsu Dragneel. And she would fight to be with him.

"I love you," he whispered, suddenly lunging for her mouth.

She threw herself to meet him in a passionate, desperate kiss. They both poured every bit of their love, their fear, and their hope into it. Their hands started roaming over each other's bodies.

"Natsu," she moaned, reaching for the hem of his shirt.

It was a long time later that they laid naked in each other's arm, both lost in their own thoughts. Their bond was solidified more completely than ever. Both of them were afraid for the future, but if they didn't fight for it, it was only a matter of time before they would be caught and separated for good. At least if they fought for each other, there might be a sliver of hope somehow that they could be together.

Nothing, not even Heaven, would keep them apart.

They were both completely silent as they dressed and walked hand in hand back to the road.

It would take awhile to get back into town considering they had no vehicle and Lucy was incapable of running in the shadows. It was a 20 km hike. Being that Natsu really didn't think he could sprout wings again under the circumstances, they'd have to walk back to town.

The walk back to town gave Natsu a chance to tell her about Juvia, which completely shattered Lucy. He also explained abilities to her and told her a bit about his time in the orphanage. She'd told him about some of her happier memories between herself and her parents.

As they neared the new house, both Lucy and Natsu stopped and stared.

"This is it," Natsu said under his breath.

"We can still run," Lucy muttered, "They don't know we're out here."

Natsu shook his head, smiling at his girlfriend's remark. She knew they couldn't run.

Their fingers intertwined as they journeyed the last 200 metres to the house. Natsu turned to glance at Lucy, his hand on the knob, and stooped to kiss her one last time.

"Whatever it takes," he whispered against her lips.

"Whatever it takes," she agreed.

Natsu took a deep breath and opened the door.


	58. Chapter 58

_**Thank you all for the amazing responses, likes, and follows.**_

 _ **Oh wow...I am SO EXCITED for the ending of this story!**_

 _ **Expect longer chapters - there's a lot of detail that I don't want to miss! And you probably won't either!**_

 _ **I think everyone will be happy with the ending...I'm writing the final chapters this week.**_

 _ **Just saying...keep the Kleenex boxes handy...**_

* * *

Lucy and Natsu were separated almost immediately upon their arrival to the house. Plue and Happy were trying to be all over them to welcome their masters home, but the look in their friends' eyes left no room for being affectionate with their pets. Levy's eyes were more worried than angry. She ran for a hug from Lucy.

"Where have you been?" Erza practically yelled, "Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"

Lucy and Natsu glanced at each other. It was like they were teenagers coming home to angry parents.

"We've been called back to Heaven," Jellal said firmly, " _All_ of us. _Now_."

Natsu nodded, leaning over to kiss Lucy one last time, only to be bonked on the head by Gajeel as he walked past.

"Save it, Lover Boy. You're in enough trouble as it is. We almost reported to Heaven without you."

"I'll be back," he promised Lucy, trying again for the last kiss.

"Seriously Natsu!" Erik warned, "We've gotta go!"

"It'll be okay, Lucy," Levy promised as Gajeel waited impatiently for her.

Lucy watched as a door appeared. It shone with light as it opened. All the Angels went through it in single file, Jellal leading Crime Sorciere, then Erza, then Levy and lastly Natsu. He made eye contact with her the entire time, giving a little wave before his body disappeared through the door.

Lucy made herself be brave as she watched them disappear, but as soon as the door was gone, she collapsed to her knees, bursting into fresh tears. She began to pray fervently because she didn't know what else to do. What good was it to be safe if it meant that everyone who had ever meant anything to her…was gone?

* * *

The 8-Island crew left the lawyer's office in absolute awe.

"Did that really just happen?" Lisanna asked, "Maybe someone should pinch me."

Loke grinned, poising his fingers. Lisanna squealed and ran to hide behind Cana.

"It happened," Virgo stated, "Although it's still a complete mystery to me how that lawyer found us."

"We should sit down and have a coffee," Mest suggested, "We have some decisions to make…like if we should all take our share and move on our way, or do something meaningful with Juvia's money."

They all exchanged glances, all of them having the same thought pass through their brains, then headed for the nearest coffee shop.

* * *

Juvia didn't know what to do with herself. Gray had had to go so suddenly, she found herself completely alone, watching the bustle of Heaven. Maybe she should go back to Gray's house.

"Oh, he's done it _this_ time!" a passing Angel exclaimed, "I'm going to watch the court session...it's going to be insane!"

The Angel walking beside him snickered, "The _Angel of Oops_ strikes again! But falling in love with a human! What was he thinking?"

Juvia watched as the two Angels walked out of sight, snickering to each other. She could hear other conversations around her developing much the same way. They all seemed to be talking about the same person. She couldn't understand the venom behind their words...almost like _hate_. Definitely mockery.

"I heard that he saved his assignment," someone else was saying with a frown on her face, "You know, for all the bad rap that he gets for being a screw up, he's always been a decent Angel. He's always polite and he tries."

Her companion laughed out loud, " _You_ didn't see the aftermath of the frogs, did you? That was before you came to Animal Welfare."

Juvia felt slight anger tear through her. It bothered her that one of her first impressions of Heaven was that there was a lot of gossip mongers. It was the only bad impression she'd received, but she couldn't understand why Angels, who were supposed to be outpourers of love, would speak in such harsh ways. Even in Orientation this morning, it had been drilled into all of their heads that an Angel's purpose was to guide humans and look after the Celestial universe. There had been no mention of it being okay to gossip like that.

"Juvia," a voice said beside her, "Juvia Lockser. It is _so_ good to see you!"

Juvia turned to the voice, letting out a squeal of happiness as she recognized Warrod Sequen. She threw herself into his arms, "I've missed you! I've missed you so much! And I'm so sorry! I failed at the business...it was burned to the ground! And-"

"Slow down, sweetheart," Warrod lifted her chin to get a good look at her, "I'm sorry for the way things turned out. You are far too young to be gone from Earthland. And I know about the restaurant. That wasn't your fault. It seems a lot of bad things have happened in Magnolia lately," he paused. Their arms were wrapped around each other still, "Actually, Juvia, that's why I came to find you."

"You came to find me?" Juvia repeated.

He nodded, "I wanted to see you as soon as possible. I want to...prepare you for what's about to happen. I was so sorry to hear of your death. The circumstances were horrible. You were caught up in a desperate situation and unfortunately, you were caught in the crossfire. "

She nodded her acknowledgment to her father figure, "It was awful. When the restaurant burned down...all our hard work...gone in moments. And then worse, they kidnapped my employees..."

"I know the gist of what happened," Warrod said solemnly, "An Angel working in Magnolia reported to us a few days ago..."

Juvia cocked her head, wondering who could have been keeping Heaven up to date on the Earthland events.

They had disengaged their hug and were headed for a nearby bench.

"She is someone you don't know," Warrod told her, "but she knows Lucy well. Other Angels were assigned to keep tabs on things and report directly to Mavis."

Juvia didn't know what to say to that. She didn't know who Mavis was either. Her face reflected her sorrow and her fear of what was about to happen.

"You cannot repeat that," he told her gently, "The other Angels don't need to know they were being watched so closely."

Juvia nodded. It wouldn't be hard to keep the secret. Warrod hadn't mentioned names.

"A lot has happened to me since I passed on too," Warrod said quietly, "I've become part of the Heavenly Council...a judge, if you will. I will be representing Heaven as your friends face trial."

Juvia's eyes widened, "Trial?"

He smiled gently at her, and forced a wave of comfort to her. Everything was so new to her. In the past days, she had lost everything that meant anything to her, including her life...and now she was going to be forced to watch her friends go to trial. Disciplinary trials did not happen often in Heaven. There was no need for it. Angels understood their purposes in helping Earthlanders and abided by the few rules imposed on them by Heaven. Poor Juvia had passed at a very difficult time. She was walking into chaos, evident by the numerous whispers around them. At any other given time, it would be business as usual in Heaven.

"Juvia, I'm not sure how much your friend, Gray, has been able to tell you," Warrod took her hand and squeezed it, "But Gray is not the only Angel you know. In fact, most of the group you went to Crocus with are Angels. With the exception of Lucy."

Juvia couldn't hold back her surprised cry. Gray hadn't told her that. They spent the evening recanting fun memories from the first time they'd been together.

"Gajeel..." Juvia whispered. Her beloved brother-figure. He was dead. All these years...

Warrod nodded, allowing her a moment to let it all sink in.

"Natsu Dragneel is in a lot of trouble...for falling in love with Lucy Heartfilia," Warrod continued, "And your Gray will face charges as well. In my eyes, he was instrumental in stopping Samuel's escape. In the court's eyes, he tried to kill Samuel and his crew."

Juvia had no idea what Warrod was talking about. She knew of Samuel and his lackeys, but she had no idea what had happened after she'd been taken from the docks.

Juvia allowed the tears to flow from her eyes as Warrod pulled her into his side. He had _missed her_. They had spent hours together in the restaurant while he showed her everything he knew about cooking and running a business. He had nursed her through times of anguish in her home life when her brother, Gajeel, disappeared. Warrod had never married or had children, so it was his honour to be a father-figure for the pretty young girl.

Warrod hummed softly, hugging his little girl to him. Sometimes being a parent (a self-appointed parent) was hard. There were no words he could tell her that would make everything okay. Not this time. He couldn't protect Juvia from the harsh reality that some absolute rules had been broken. And Gray and Natsu would both have to answer for what they did.

"I'll tell you everything so there are no surprises when you go to the courtroom today," he said gently, "I know this is shocking, but your Gray will need your support. Simply by _being there_ , he will know how much you care about him. That goes for your other friends who will stand trial today too."

"They'll ALL stand trial?" She asked incredulously.

Warrod nodded.

Juvia sat up to listen. She wanted to know. So much of what happened in the past few weeks confused her. Even though she'd been a casualty of whatever happened, she never really understood the details of why anything had happened at all.

"It all began with a little girl who had lost her mother..." Warrod started.

* * *

Natsu sat in the fluffy chairs outside of Makarov's office with his arms crossed. He was _miserable._ He was in serious trouble...much more than the other Angels, if the yelling inside the office was any indication.

"It was an honest mistake!" Mirajane was saying to Makarov, "It could have happened to anyone!"

"Anyone?" Laxus scoffed, "He fell in love with his assignment on a Cupid mission! Worse, she's in love with him too! He's ruined her for anyone else now!"

Both Angels were criss-crossing as they paced the floor in front of Makarov.

"He just wants everyone to be happy," Mira huffed, "And he didn't ruin her…he _loves_ her. From what I can see, it's a once-in-a-lifetime love. They should be allowed to be together."

"It's against Heaven's rules!" Laxus practically screamed. He remembered himself, lowering his voice as he addressed Makarov, "Gramps, Natsu has done it again. This is not his first failed mission. Natsu has messed up everything he's ever touched and I cannot see a sentence any lesser than the recommended punishment doing anything but endangering everyone in existence! And I sure as he-...heck don't see him remaining a part of Fairy Tail!"

Mira shot him a heated glare, "You wanted him to fail. And now you're ready to nail him to the wall because he found someone that made him feel like he has purpose!"

"He broke the laws of Heaven!" Laxus shot back.

"He also broke down her barriers and helped to stop the turmoil in her life caused by two men that have terrorized her for several years!" Mira yelled, "He went above and beyond his mission. His motivations have never been selfish! He just wants her to be happy, which was his mission objective in the first place!"

Laxus threw his hands up in the air, frustrated, "Mira, you aren't hearing the truth!"

"Neither are you!" She shot back, "You pig-headed ignoramus! _Open your eyes_! There's a lot more to this story than that stupid rule!"

They stared each other down for a moment. Makarov breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe now they could discuss things like rational adults. In the moment later. That was not a possibility as anger flashed in Mira's eyes.

The yelling continued.

* * *

Outside the office, Gray approached, sinking into the chair beside Natsu.

"Are you okay?" Gray asked.

Natsu shook his head, "Apparently, this is the biggest _Oops_ ever. How about you? Are you okay? Is Juvia okay?"

Gray nodded, "Juvia is almost through Orientation. She'll be assigned to a Division tomorrow. She's doing well. But me…I'm in the same boat you are. I'm going to be reprimanded for knowing about you and Lucy and not stopping it, plus cutting the gas lines to the airplane."

"You cut the gas lines to the airplane?" Natsu asked in surprise.

Gray nodded, "I was furious. I wanted them to pay for what they did to Lucy and Levy…but most of all what they did to Juvia. Juvia lost everything: her business and eventually her life."

Natsu sighed, "I'm sorry, Gray. Whatever happens, if there's a way for me to have your back…"

Gray gave him a cocky smile, "Goes both ways, buddy."

Natsu tried not to show expression as he heard the word, 'buddy'. Did Gray consider them friends?

"Yes," Gray acknowledged, as though he'd read Natsu's thoughts, "We've been through a lot together and I consider you my friend. I respect you both as a friend and an Angel."

Natsu glanced at the other man, trying not to tear up, "You have no idea what that means to me, Gray."

The door to the office opened and Mira gestured for both of them to come in.

They sat in the chairs offered while Mira and Laxus remained standing. Both were still heated from the discussion, their faces red with anger. Makarov sat behind his desk, a solemn expression on his face.

"First of all," he began in a low tone, "From a personal point of view, I want to tell you I'm proud of both of you. You've learned a lot through this mission, no matter what mistakes you've made."

Gray and Natsu exchanged glances, unsure if that was the worst of it or not.

"However," Makarov continued.

 _Guess not._

"This matter goes above my head and my personal opinion doesn't matter," Makarov twiddled his fingers, "The Heavenly Council is already aware of what happened. Other Angels stationed Magnolia have reported in too..."

"Who told the council?" Gray asked, his voice shaking with anger.

"It doesn't matter," Makarov replied.

Natsu bit his lip nervously. He was curious who had called into Heaven about the situation as well.

"Levy McGarden will be held accountable for telling Lucy about the Angel team and also about knowing about Natsu and Lucy's relationship and not stopping it," Makarov contined, "Erza Scarlet and Crime Sorciere will also be held accountable for knowing about the relationship. Gray, you will be accountable for knowing about the relationship, and also cutting the fuel lines to the plane. It didn't result in death, but only because Crime Sorciere intervened."

"If I didn't do something, they would've gotten away!" Gray interjected, but at the look on Makarov's face, he stopped talking. This was extremely serious and Makarov was not in the frame of mind where either Natsu or Gray should try to defend themselves now.

"Natsu…you broke a sacred law," Makarov said quietly, "There's a reason human/Angel relationships are forbidden. Lucy is to be protected and cherished as a human life. You had your chance at life. The relationship cannot happen. You live on different planes of the universe. Do you understand that?"

"No," Natsu replied, "I don't understand at all. I _didn't_ have my chance at life. Lucy is the only person who has ever made me feel like I'm valuable to anyone. I _don't understand at all."_

Makarov shook his head, the despair in his eyes evident

"Don't tell the Heavenly Council that," he half-begged, "Tell them you know it's wrong. They'll be more lenient on you if you acknowledge it."

"The Heavenly Council?" Gray asked.

Makarov nodded, "This goes above my head. I can't protect you within the Fairy Tail Division. You will be tried at the Heavenly Court for your wrongdoings."

A pair of eyes watched the exchange with interest, noting Natsu's firm resolve that what he'd done was not wrong.

* * *

Lucy was sitting on a park bench, trying to determine if she was ready for sleeping or if it was going to be another long, sleepless night. She had taken Plue for a walk, hoping that the exercise would allow her to tire out enough that she'd sleep. She watched the children play, remembering sliding down that very slide with Natsu. To her left were the swings that Natsu had pushed her on.

" _I'll be back_ ," he'd promised her, kissing her mouth gently.

Those were his last words before he disappeared with the other Angels through the luminescent door.

That was 4 days ago. She hadn't heard from Natsu, Levy, Erza, or Crime Sorciere since. She was in the large house by herself with Plue and Happy.

She had been called by the 8-Island crew to meet them at the lawyer's office, but she declined, saying she hadn't actually worked there that long. Whatever Juvia had left them should be split evenly by the loyal employees who had been with her since the restaurant opened.

It felt strange to be so alone. Plue and Happy were all over her, begging for attention, maybe even more so than normal because they could sense the anguish in their mistress. They sensed how restless she was and how sad she was. Both tried staying as close to her as possible. She had been having a really hard time sleeping. Sometimes Plue would relent and allow her to have the bed to herself, but Happy stayed on her pillow, refusing to leave her alone at night.

The waiting for news was horrible.

A pair of eyes watched Lucy as tossed in her bed. Plue got up and moved to the floor. Happy was on the pillow. He mewed and nuzzled Lucy's head.

"I know, Buddy. I miss him too," Lucy whispered, "But he promised he'd be back for us."

The pair of eyes narrowed. Why would he promise that, knowing it could never happen?

Happy mewed again.

"I know, Happy, but even if it's forbidden, Natsu loves us. He knows we need him. That's how I know he'll be back _._ We need each other. _"_

A tear ran out of the pair of eyes. Lucy Heartfilia genuinely loved the Angel. But it made no sense. Perhaps further investigation was warranted.

The trial would be starting soon. The pair of eyes disappeared to go observe.

* * *

The Celestial Council Hall was buzzing with activity when Natsu and Gray were lead in.

Natsu couldn't help wondering if Lucy was okay. Time ran differently in Heaven than it did on Earthland. By his estimates, four or five days had passed. Was she okay? Was she thinking about him? He desperately wished he could talk to her...that he could hold her in his arms.

There was a large crowd in the benches lining the courtroom. The onlookers stared at him as he walked in, Laxus and Mira leading him, Gray and Erza behind him. He couldn't make out specifically what anyone was actually whispering about, but there was no mistaking the multiple whispers of _Angel of Oops._

They were led to seats in the front row. The Heavenly Council sat to the left in seats. An empty Judge's chair sat at the top of the room.

"There's a few cases related to this matter going first," Mira whispered to Natsu.

"Next case: Heaven calls Sorano Agria," an Angel with a scroll called.

Sorano entered the room, her white locks neatly combed and her body clad in a modest Angels' garb.

"Sorano Agria," Draculos Hyberion said, standing to read to the paper in his hands, "We wish to welcome you to Heaven. You have been brought forth by Crime Sorciere to be given a chance to redeem the mistakes you made while living on Earthland. It says here you have been responsible for multiple deaths, robberies, drug smuggling, and kidnappings amongst other vicious crimes. Is it still your desire to pay for your mistakes?"

Sorano nodded, a tear streaming down her cheek.

"Then please join your new Division," Draculos continued with a smile and a nod, "You will be assigned to Crime Sorciere so that you can redeem yourself by leading people who need to get their lives on the right path back to redemption. You will serve with them for the foreseeable future with a progress hearing in 10 years. Do you accept this judgement?"

Sorano nodded again, actually very pleased with the judgement. After her death, she had been overwhelmed with the kindness she had been shown. She had not been abandoned. Angels had come to her almost immediately. From there, they brought her to Heaven where she underwent Orientation with Juvia. Knowing that Juvia had sincerely forgiven her for her mistakes, Sorano was inspired to do well at her studies. She was looking forward to redeeming her mistakes. Heaven was a wonderful place…and she wanted with all her heart to do some good. She was truly remorseful for the way she had lived her life on Earthland. Wendy had been correct that it bothered her to kill. She simply didn't know any other lifestyle. Now she'd have the chance to learn.

Jellal reached out his hand to Sorano, helping her down from the raised seat she was sitting in and took her back to the second row seating that Crime Sorciere and Erza had all sat in.

"Next up on the agenda," Draculos continued, "Heaven vs Erza Scarlett. I'm going to make this quick. Erza Scarlett, also known as the Titania of Fairy Tail, is charged with knowing about a relationship between an Angel and a human and not reporting it to the Council."

Natsu sighed. This might take a really, really long time. He just wanted to go back to Magnolia to Lucy.

* * *

Lucy was walking downtown, in an exhausted stupor. She hadn't sleep the night before, no matter how she tried, so she was walking Plue, hoping to tire herself out. It really didn't matter that it was daytime now. Day was running into night for her.

Natsu had been gone for 5 days. Levy, Gray, Erza, and Crime Sorciere were also gone. Lucy was completely alone with Happy and Plue in that large house with nothing to do but mull over her love for Natsu and try to register all the events of the past few weeks.

"Lucy!" a voice called from across the street.

Lucy's eyes were droopy and she hadn't brushed her hair in 3 days. She wore clothes, but she really had no idea if they were fresh or not.

"Whoa…"Loke said as he caught up to her, "Are you…okay?"

She nodded feebly, since obviously she was _not_ okay. However, she wasn't about to pine to Loke about it.

"I'm fine," she said finally.

Plue growled slightly. Loke was trying to give Lucy a hug.

"We were so worried about you," he told her, finally settling for a pat on the shoulder. Plue was warning him not to get too close, "We're across the street having coffee. Come and join us."

Lucy shook her head, "No thanks."

He cocked his head, studying her.

"Lucy, I hope you know we all care about you. 8-Island was never strictly about running a restaurant. We care about each other. Juvia was our glue, but now we're finding new glue. We'd like to tell you what's happened…and no offense, but you look like you really need some people around you."

Lucy looked down at Plue, "I've got my dog."

She meant she had her dog to be around her. Loke knew it, but chose to ignore her obvious attempt to get out of coffee.

"Then we'll move to a table outside," Loke said, taking away the weak excuse.

She glanced across at the 8-Island crew, staring out the window at her. They gestured their 'hellos' and 'come join us'.

"Okay," she said finally, "but just for a few minutes."

Cana and Kinana were moving a second table to join the first so there would be enough room for everyone to sit together. As Lucy approached, they all rushed to meet her.

Anxiety crashed through Lucy's body. It was _her_ fault that Juvia was dead. It was _her_ fault that Juvia, Lisanna, Virgo, and Laki had almost died. She was dreading sitting with them, fully expecting a punch to the face...which she would absolutely deserve.

"Lucy," Virgo embraced her, "We were so worried about you."

She nodded her thanks as she pulled away, only to be drawn into another hug by Lisanna.

"We're so glad you're okay," Lisanna added.

Lucy teared up, "I'm sorry. It's my fault you went through all that."

"We're okay!" Virgo promised, "We're all okay."

Lucy shook her head vigorously, "It's all my fault. The restaurant burning down. You and Lisanna getting kidnapped…Juvia passing away."

"Lucy," Mest said gently, placing a hand on Lucy's shoulder. Plue growled slightly. Mest retreated his hand, "None of us blame you. You've been through a lot too. The important thing now is that you're free."

"They won't hurt you anymore," Kinana agreed, "Sting is going to make sure of that."

Lucy nodded, her tears subsiding a bit. Her terror to meet with her former co-workers was unfounded. She'd destroyed their lives, yet here they were, comforting her.

"I can't imagine the nightmare you've been living," Lisanna said gently, "Which is why you deserve something good to happen to you now."

Lucy was confused.

"Juvia left us everything, Lucy," Loke patted her hand, withdrawing it when Plue warned him he was too close, "She left all her investments, all her insurance policies, her apartment…turns out she was a shrewd businesswoman. She's worth millions. And she split it equally between us. _ALL_ of us. So we need to ask you something. You don't have to answer right now, but we're asking if you'll please hear us out."

Lucy glanced around the table at the hopeful eyes as they awaited her answer. Finally, she nodded hesitantly.

"We want to reinvest…as partners," Cana told her, "We want to rebuild 8-Island, but with a few twists. First of all, the restaurant will be called 'Juvia's'. I'll run the bar, Loke will handle front end business, and we'll hire a new cook and some servers. In addition to the restaurant aspect of the business, we want to open a division in the same building dedicated to helping people like you…people who are victimized and need help getting out of their situation, whether they just need a place to heal or they need protection. All of the restaurant staff will go to school to learn about security and protection services as well as basic counselling."

"I'm going to get my Social Work degree so that I can help on that side of the business," Lisanna said, "Laki, the librarian from Levy's work, is going back to school too. She's going to take law courses and come work with us."

"Virgo and I are going to get law enforcement courses," Mest added, "The new division will work in conjunction with the Police, who will send people to us. Rogue already took us by to talk to Sting to run the idea past him. We'll give victims work in the restaurant and protect them with our resources from the other side of the business."

Everyone leaned in, waiting for Lucy's reaction, "That sounds…wonderful. I think it's amazing…you're virtually creating a safe house for people."

"It will take awhile," Virgo admitted, "It's a vision for the next 5 years, but we want to do something in Juvia's memory. She never stopped worrying about you, Lucy. We were all very important to her. She would want us to do something amazing with her money."

"I approve," Lucy nodded, "And I think Juvia would too. She…was a really good friend. And an amazing boss."

The others nodded.

"We're inviting you to invest your part of the money too," Lisanna said, "We talked about it. We all feel bonded to you, whether you think you deserve a portion or not. We've all decided you're taking it! But the money is yours to do with as you will. Would you like to help us make this memorial for Juvia?"

Lucy paused, deeply touched by the 8-Island initiative to commemorate Juvia's memory. It was exactly what Juvia would want. She had a reputation to helping people. If she had lived through the ordeal, it would likely be her organizing this new endeavour, simply because she saw a way to help people.

But it was Lucy's fault she had died. The world lost a beautiful, sweet, generous woman because Lucy had been employed by her. Juvia didn't deserve what happened to her. Virgo, Laki and Lisanna didn't deserve what happened to _them_.

The others noted the change in Lucy's face as she stood up, retrieving Plue's leash from the post she'd tied him to.

"I don't deserve a portion of Juvia's money," Lucy lamented, "So if you insist that it's mine, I choose to dedicate every last penny to seeing your vision come true."

Virgo clapped her hands excitedly, "This is so great! What side of the business do you want to work on?"

Lucy shook her head, "I can't. The money is yours to decide how you want to honour Juvia with. I don't deserve to be a part of it."

She stood up and untied Plue's leash from the pole she'd secured him to.

"Working with you," she said softly, glancing from face to face, "Has been the most wonderful experience I've ever had. You're good people. I hope you're able to help a lot of different people," she paused, "I'm so sorry."

She tugged Plue's leash and walked away briskly, not giving anyone a chance to put a word in edgewise.

The 8-Island crew watched her go silently. Lucy was no longer pursued and her life was no longer in danger, but she was still extremely unhappy. They all knew there was something worse than her guilt plaguing her thoughts.

Worse than being unhappy, she was completely and totally alone.

* * *

Back in the Celestial Courts, the fates of Erza, Gray, and Levy had all been determined. The court room reconvened after a recess to tally the verdicts. All four of them sat at the defense bench, awaiting their sentences.

"Erza Scarlett, known as the Titania of Heaven," Draculos read out loudly, "You have been granted reprieve based on your impeccable record as long as you promise to behave more appropriately in the future. It is uncharacteristic of you _not_ report things. As it's highly unlikely to happen again, we ask that you agree to being more careful in the future. Do you agree to these terms?"

Erza nodded, "However, I am quite happy to serve with Crime Sorciere for a time. I did, afterall, have thoughts about causing Dan and Samuel bodily harm."

The Council glanced at each other, rather confused that she'd volunteer to punish herself. They glanced at Jellal in the crowd. He nodded.

"Very well, then, Erza Scarlett," Draculos agreed, "You are hereby voluntarily reassigned to Crime Sorciere until you feel you have repaid your debt."

Erza nodded, a smile beaming from her face. The crowd muttered to each other. She was odd, but nobody could question her morals most of the time. Erza was as straight-laced as they came.

"Levy McGarden," Wolfheim continued, "You are also excused. You have been on Earthland for a very long time with no Heavenly contact. We appreciate your need to accept help when it finally came. Heaven offers its' apologies if you felt abandoned. Please consider returning to Lucy Heartfilia to continue as her Guardian."

Levy nodded, but she didn't smile. She was worried about what would happen with Lucy when she knew that Natsu wasn't coming back for her.

"Gray Fullbuster," Draculos eyed him, pacing slightly as he unfolded the verdict, "You cut the fuel lines to an airplane in an attempt to kill criminals. Luckily, Crime Sorciere was there to save the souls on board. In addition, you knew about a human-Angel relationship and did nothing to prevent it nor stop it. We have, however, decided to be lenient with you as well since you were instrumental in the end result of Dan and Samuel coming to justice. You will be assigned to Crime Sorciere for your single-handed attempt at judgement of Samuel's crew with a review set for 5 years. You are given an additional 3 years because you were responsible for overseeing Natsu Dragneel and failed to discipline Natsu's relationship from the get-go."

They watched Gray's face for a reaction. Gray didn't contest the ruling. He had respect for Crime Sorciere and thought perhaps it would be a good placement for him.

Immediately, Juvia had stood up in the crowd.

"Please!"

The Council turned to glance at her, the crowd confused at her intervention.

"I'm a new Angel!" Juvia spat out, "And I'm to be assigned to my new Division tomorrow. Please let me join Crime Sorciere as well. Lucy is my employee and a dear friend. I would like the chance to help others like her."

The Council exchanged glances, opening their mouths to deny her request when Jellal stood up.

"If the Council would permit," Jellal stated loudly, "Crime Sorciere would be happy to take Juvia onto our team."

It was a tense moment. Normally, unless someone had done something really wrong on Earthland, new Angels never got assigned to Crime Sorciere.

"I say we give the child her chance," Warrod spoke up, winking at Juvia, "She did a lot of good in her lifetime. She should be given the chance to work in a Division that interests her."

"Agreed!" Jura spoke up.

Draculos sighed. There wasn't really a reason to disallow the request, "Juvia Lockser, we will advise your Orientation leaders of this development. You may join Crime Sorciere."

Both Gray and Juvia heaved sighs of relief, wishing they could cross the court room to sit together. They had finally found a way to be together. Juvia locked eyes with Gajeel, the hurt that he hadn't told her what actually happened to him evident in her eyes. He mouthed, 'I'm sorry...we'll talk later, okay?' She nodded.

"Next up," Wolfheim announced, "We are calling Natsu Dragneel to the stand to face his charges of falling in love with a human girl, his assignment no less."

The crowd started to whisper.

Natsu twiddled his thumbs nervously as the Council regrouped to deal with him. He was happy for his friends. It seemed they'd all mostly gotten what they wanted. But somehow, the way his trial had been announced, he already knew he would not be dealt with so easily.

"It's time, Natsu," Mira said softly.

Natsu nodded, getting up from his seat and moving to the front of the room to take the Interrogation Seat. Angels in the audience were murmuring again.

He sat down, closing his eyes for a moment and offered a silent prayer. He realized the irony of praying at a time like this.

"Natsu Dragneel," Draculos Hyberion said, pacing the floor in front of where Natsu was seated, "You are charged with falling in love with your human assignment. More than that, we understand this Lucy Heartfilia has also fallen in love with you. Are you aware that this is forbidden? And do you understand why it's so taboo?"

Natsu took a deep breath, remembering Makarov's warning about how to handle this question. He paused, scanning the whispering crowd, his eyes resting on his friends for a few long moments before he took a deep breath and leaned over to the microlacrima.

"No."

"You _must_ realize that it was forbidden!" Draculos yelled, slamming his hands down on the table in front of Natsu, "Even you, the _Angel of Oops_ , can't be that naïve…that ridiculous…that _stupid!"_

Draculos's dislike for Natsu was obvious. The look on his face said it all. Sadly, the other council members' expressions, with the exception of Warrod, seemed to say the same thing. They were condemning him already. They would come to the same verdict whether he defended himself or not.

Which meant Natsu had nothing to lose.

"I am aware that falling in love with Lucy was forbidden," he said quietly.

The room had gone silent, hanging on his every word.

His voice rose as he continued, "But one thing I learned from my time with Lucy is that...although I AM naive, I am NOT ridiculous and I AM NOT STUPID! I _do not_ understand why it's taboo! I can honestly say I'm not sorry it happened at all!"

The court room erupted with whispers. Natsu was admitting guilt without remorse.

"It would be in your best interest to apologize and admit your wrongdoing!" Draculos warned him.

Natsu leaned forward to the microlacrima in front of him, making sure to speak slowly as he repeated himself empathically.

" _I'm not sorry,"_ he repeated.

The Council members gawked at each other, daunted by Natsu's rebellion. Onlookers were thrilled with the drama. Word had gotten out quickly about what happened in Magnolia. The _Angel of Oops_ had spawned an interest in Heaven for a long time. For years, he'd been the butt of jokes for his failures. Everyone was curious about this new rumour that he had fallen in love with his assignment and what Heaven would do about it. It was incredible that he didn't think of himself as wrong in this instance.

"Go ahead. Gawk all you want," Natsu said into the microlacrima, "I love her and I have every intention of being with her. So if falling in love with someone who completes you is wrong, then I don't want to be right. I'm not going to apologize."

Makarov face-palmed.

Natsu sat in his seat with his arms crossed, determined not to let the Council waver his stance.

The pair of eyes watched the spectacle with interest, deciding perhaps it was time to go visit the other side of the situation again. Lucy should be able to give the pair of eyes some insight.


	59. Chapter 59

Lucy was out for a walk with Plue again. It was later evening and the night air was rather chilly, but Lucy felt the need to sit outside for awhile. She stopped at a park bench, Plue settling at her feet.

It was the same park Natsu had taken her to more than once. She glanced at the slide that she and Natsu had slid down…the swings where he'd asked her to trust him…the spot of their intimate picnic.

She didn't know how long it had been anymore. She had completely lost track of all time. She also didn't know when her last meal had been. Sometimes her stomach reminded her of that, but most of the time, she was able to ignore it. The idea of food made her want to throw up. She'd lost the will to bother.

A girl was watching her. It was a young girl. Her hair was blonde and she wore a simple white dress. Lucy was wondering what laundry tricks her parents must know to be wearing such pure white.

"You look really sad," the small girl said, sitting on the bench, "Not having a good day?"

Lucy glanced at her. She couldn't have been older than 11 or 12. She didn't seem to be with anybody. Lucy didn't feel like talking, but she tried never to be impolite.

"No," she said simply, "I'm having a pretty bad _life."_

"I think everyone thinks that sometimes," the girl said softly, "You can talk to me if you want to."

Lucy smiled, "I don't even know you."

"No," the girl said, "But sometimes strangers are the best people to talk to."

Lucy shook her head, "No thanks, I'm good."

"You're missing someone," the girl said softly.

A wave of peace passed through Lucy. Lucy tried not to panic. She now knew that those sudden rushes of peace and calmness stemmed from _abilities._ Natsu had told her that on their walk back to Magnolia several days ago. If this girl knew about _abilities_ , then she must be an Angel herself.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked.

"Just someone who cares about what you're going through," the girl promised, "I'm here to see if you're okay."

"Well, as you can see, I'm not," Lucy whispered, "You can go back and tell them that."

"I'll level with you, Lucy," the girl said, patting Plue as he sniffed her hands, "Nobody sent me. I'm here on my own accord. I need to talk to you…about what happened…about what's going to happen. Will you be honest with me?"

Lucy nodded slowly, not feeling any prodding from the small girl. She was being honest…no _abilities_ were forcing her to talk now.

"You want to ask me questions," the girl stated, "Go ahead. I'm listening."

"Where's Natsu?" Lucy asked, getting straight to the point.

"He's being tried with the Heavenly Council," the girl replied, "He has to answer for the fact that your relationship is forbidden."

"Is he okay?" Lucy asked, her voice choking.

The girl shook her head slightly, "He's about as upset as you are right now. But he's standing his ground."

"Why is it so wrong?" Lucy asked, a tear slipping out of her eye, "He's been alone all of his existence. I'm alone too. We found solace in each other."

"Humans and Angels were never meant to interact, Lucy," the girl said softly, "It's extremely rare that a human will ever actually see an Angel, unless they've gone wrong in their life and the Angel is there to help reset their path…and that's usually only if the person is going to die. Humans and Angels who end up in a relationship face some serious problems. Trust me…the rule is there for a reason."

"But it wasn't forbidden at one time," Lucy sighed, "At some point, there must have been another Angel who fell in love with a human, otherwise the stupid rule would never have been made. The thing is, every situation is different. Maybe it went bad between _them_ , but who says Natsu and I can't have a meaningful relationship? We're so _good_ together."

"And what happens when he gets called away on a mission far from you, Lucy? Or maybe recognizes that you're getting older and he's still young? Or what if you want children or what if…"

Lucy glanced at the small girl. Her voice had trailed off.

"Help me to understand," Lucy said quietly, "What if…what?"

"It doesn't matter," the girl replied, keeping Lucy's eye contact, "It's forbidden."

"What are the consequences for Natsu's actions?" Lucy asked, her voice quivering again.

The girl was quiet again. Lucy knew she wasn't going to like the answer.

"Banishment from Heaven," the girl said solemnly.

* * *

The crowd inside the Celestial Chambers was buzzing with Natsu's statement.

 _He wasn't sorry he fell in love with Lucy._

Natsu wore a look of utter defiance on his face as Draculos recovered from his initial shock.

"You are admitting to knowing the relationship was forbidden," Draculos said sternly, "And you're admitting you're not sorry?"

Natsu nodded, "Lucy and I both grew up alone. In different ways, but still alone. We have found something really special between us and we connect in so many different ways. I've never felt this way about anyone and I know she'd say the same thing. We are meant to be together. So no. I will not express remorse for a having a relationship with Lucy. It is my full intention to return to Earthland to live with Lucy and be with her."

"It's not even an option!" Wolfheim slammed his hands down onto the table where the Council sat, "You have no say in what happens from here. Forbidden is forbidden! Your relationship should never have happened!"

"Have you ever been in love, Mr. Councilman?" Natsu asked, staring Wolfheim directly in the eye, "Do _you_ understand there is no controlling love? We compliment each other. She validated me – made me feel like there's a purpose to my existence. I grew up in Heaven. I don't remember my alive years. And yet nobody in Heaven ever made me feel like I belonged. They even went _out of their way_ to make sure I knew what a screw up I was and branded me the _Angel of Oops_. Tell me – what have I got to stay in Heaven for?"

He knew his voice was cracking. He also knew it was raising. Council members were absolutely dumbfounded. Onlookers hung on every word.

"Lucy grew up alone too. In a different way, but still alone! We find comfort in each other. We make each other laugh. She keeps my head on straight when I want to be stupid about something! We _love_ each other! This is not a game to us, unlike to all of you! You're just out to slaughter us because we're different! SO WHAT if we're different? I have doubts believing anyone can find what Lucy and I have found in each other. Our differences don't matter!"

Natsu heard several councilmen screaming at him at once. The audience's whispers turned into full-scale yelling.

"ORDER!" Councilman Jura Neekis yelled, stomping his foot angrily.

"Let's talk about you, _Angel of Oops_ ," Draculos said once the noise had stopped again, "I have a list of 25 failed missions over a period of 9 years, starting from the moment you were old enough to take missions. Shall I read the list? You kept the water too warm in the ocean because you wanted humans to be able to swim all year round and caused a massive die off in the fish population. Fish who did not belong in certain areas migrated to the warm areas and wiped out the local marine life. Sharks in fact patrolled beaches they had no business being anywhere near. You overproduced frogs once year because you thought they were 'cute'. You grew trees in a desert once year because you thought the scenery was bland. They all died and altered the eco-system for years. You overran an entire city with spaghetti squash."

"Spaghetti squash is really delicious," Warrod Sequen said out loud, "You have to admit, none of it went to waste."

Draculos sent Warrod a glare, warning him not to encourage Natsu that anything he did was remotely okay, "The list goes on. THE POINT IS - You are known as the _Angel of Oops_ not because other Angels were trying to be mean, but because you regularly messed up your missions! _You made yourself the Angel of Oops_. And the latest _atrocity_ is that you intervened in a human life and made her fall in love with you! You took advantage of her – how hard did you push your Angel abilities to achieve this? Did you _nudge_ her? Did you _compel_ her? Did you watch her from the _shadows_ so you could take advantage of her vulnerabilities?"

"I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THAT!" Natsu yelled, standing up. Immediately, court guards stepped forward, forcing him back down.

Natsu's eyes were wild with rage. He glanced back at his friends, all watching with horror in their eyes.

"Do you want me to admit I'm a failure as an Angel?" Natsu asked, lowering his voice as he willingly sat back down.

Makarov was shaking his head vigorously, trying to catch Natsu's eye.

Draculos, Warrod, Jura, and Wolfheim all stared at him, waiting to see what he'd do.

"Fine! You're right," Natsu half-yelled, "I'm a horrible Angel."

Makarov face-palmed. Laxus was trying to hide a grin. Mira's face was white and she looked like she was about to cry. Over on his friends' bench, Gray and Levy were sitting still, hands on their laps. Juvia glanced at Gray, a worried expression on her face. Erza was sitting beside Jellal and Minerva, nodding her encouragement to him.

"That's why I don't belong here. I belong on Earthland with the only person that has ever loved me. I would disagree that this was a failed mission. My mission was to find a way to make her happy…Lucy loves me. _I_ make her happy. And she makes me happy. I didn't use any abilities on her to make that happen. We fell in love with each other because we connect on so many levels. She's funny…and smart…and beautiful. And she doesn't think I'm a loser or a failure. She wanted me to realize that I'm a worthwhile being too. Our love is untainted and sweet. I always thought that's what Heaven strove for – the greater good. There's nothing impure about what Lucy and I mean to each other…and I challenge you to dispute that if you can."

The courtroom erupted into chaos again, whispering rippling through the audience seats.

"ORDER!" Wolfheim yelled. It took several moments to calm the masses again.

"That doesn't change the fact that it's _forbidden_ ," Draculos snapped at Natsu, "You still broke the law. And you _will_ face consequences for it."

"THIS IS BULL SHIT!" Gray yelled suddenly, standing up, "You can't punish Natsu without hearing his side of the story! You're not even listening to him! We were all there too! You can't be lenient to us and punish the most innocent Angel here! You need to ask us what happened _and you need to listen to us_! Quit condemning him without a fair trial!"

" _WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, FULLBUSTER!_ You've already been handed your judgements!" Wolfheim said in a stern, raised voice, "Sit down, unless you want us to reconsider your lenient sentence! Nobody is going to stand up for the _Angel of Oops._ "

Gray did not sit down. He stood his ground with a determined glare. It seemed like minutes had passed, even though he knew it was only seconds. Suddenly, he realized that beside him, Levy had also risen. Erza, Jellal, and Gajeel were next, followed by the rest of Crime Sorciere, even Sorano and Juvia. Juvia moved through the row to stand beside Gray, reaching for his hand. He squeezed it, never breaking eye contact with Wolfheim.

Natsu felt dumbfounded as he regarded his friends. The murmurs in the crowd were running rampant again. Wolfheim and Draculos were starting to panic a bit. Never in the history of Celestial Court had anyone challenged them like this.

"I say we hear them," Warrod announced, winking at Juvia, "A trial is only fair if everyone gets their say."

Jura nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Sit down! All of you!" Draculos yelled, "Or you'll all be banished with Natsu! Do I make myself clear?"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd stood up, three others following his lead. Angels started standing up all over the crowd. It was a silent protest to Natsu's treatment...and it was extremely powerful to watch.

Murmurs sounded through the crowd of 'Let them speak' and 'Maybe their love _is_ valid'.

"Very well," Draculos said finally, "Everyone needs to sit down and shut up – _NO MORE INTERRUPTIONS_. Natsu's friends will have their say. And then he will be banished from Heaven. There is very little anyone can do about what the Book says. But in the interest of being 'fair', we'll allow the testimonies."

* * *

"That's just wrong," Lucy said slowly of the idea that Natsu would be banished from Heaven, "Where would he be banished to?"

Lucy already knew the answer. She could tell by the look on the girl's face that she was right...stripped of his rights for a life in Heaven, Natsu would be sent to the _other_ place.

"It's wrong," Lucy stated, "Hell is a place for the evilest of evils. Do you _know_ Natsu? Have you even met him?"

The girl shook her head, "I don't have to meet him. He's an Angel and he should know better than to get involved with a human."

"Natsu is innocent and pure," Lucy said, her eyes getting a desperate glint to them, "He doesn't have a selfish bone in his body. I promise you, it wasn't maliciousness in any way that he broke the rules. It's a stupid rule to begin with! He does not belong in Hell."

"It's _not_ stupid!" the girl snapped back, "Humans and Angel were not meant to mix. It's the way it is."

" _Then tell me_ _why!_ " Lucy challenged, "You haven't given me a single reason that would convince me this rule is in the best interest of everyone!"

The girl sighed heavily, then adjusted her position on the bench with Lucy. She was quiet for a few minutes.

"A long time ago," she started, "God created the Heavens as an afterlife for Earthlanders. Before long, Angels started doing silent missions on Earthland…to help their loved ones they'd left behind. There was one girl in particular that happened to be God's daughter. She took a mission to help a young man on Earthland who was dabbling in bringing people who had passed on back to life. Her mission was to heal his heart. The more time she spent with him, the more she saw his loneliness. He was desolate one night...so she broke the rules and appeared to him to comfort him. Pretty soon, they spent all their time together. The man noticed her use the odd _ability_ and asked her what powers she had. He was enamoured with her. They fell in love. The deeper she got involved with the man, the more she realized he was using her abilities to further his research, using _nudges_ to get difficult-to-find equipment... _transporting_ dangerous items from A to B. At first, he'd pretend to be hesitant to ask. Pretty soon, he _expected_ her to help him."

She paused, studying Lucy's face.

"She tried to use her abilities to make him stop. She tried to bend his will to stop his evil ways. The combination of them pushing against each other ended in disaster. His research had gigantic aquariums tubes of his subjects that he was trying to resurrect. The girl realized he had been...taking people off the street to be his subjects. He _killed_ them and then used them to try to complete his experiments! She fought back, lighting the building on fire and ultimately destroyed the entire building with him inside. The wrath of Heaven came down on him once Heaven realized what had been happening."

The girl shook as she finished telling her story, emotional tears edging out of her eyes.

"Don't you get it? Angels and humans are too _different!_ They will only hurt each other! They corrupted each other! _That's_ why it's forbidden! They will ultimately take advantage of each other and it will only end in disaster."

"Natsu and I aren't like that!" Lucy replied haughtily, "I would never take advantage of Natsu's abilities. He would never use them to make me do something I don't want to do!"

She paused, glancing at Lucy,

"Tell me how you feel about Natsu," she said finally, "Tell me how you fell in love with him."

Lucy glanced at her. The young girl's face was white and clouded by sadness. She still didn't know who she was, but something told Lucy it was important to get her point across to her.

"When Natsu came to me," Lucy said slowly, "I was afraid of everything. I didn't talk to anyone I didn't have to. I didn't want friends. I had 'walls' up that nobody but Levy could see past. Natsu broke through those barriers and taught me to laugh again. Ultimately, he didn't just save me from Dan…he saved Dan too. You will never meet a sweeter, more innocent-minded person."

The girl nodded.

"I'll tell you everything," Lucy said softly, "I don't know why. I still have no idea who you are…only that you're an Angel who seems to be rather peeved about this whole thing without knowing all the facts. But you have to promise me no matter what happens, nothing bad will happen to Natsu. He doesn't deserve that severe punishment...or any punishment at all."

"I can't promise that," the girl sighed, "The Council will decide what happens."

Lucy nodded, not actually expecting a small girl like the one beside would be able to change things anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy began to tell her story.

* * *

Gray sat up on the witness stand, watching as the Council faced him. He gulped, glancing at his friends for a bit of support. Now that he was up on the stand, suddenly he didn't feel so brave.

"I didn't want to go on the mission with Natsu at first," he started.

Mira exchanged glances with Laxus. They had both witnessed his initial reactions. That was an understatement.

"I was ignorant," Gray continued, resisting the urge to add the words ' _like you'_ , "I was wrapped up in the rumours that had been floating around Heaven for ages...that Natsu was stupid and incapable of doing anything right. I judged him without giving him a fair chance."

He glanced back at Crime Sorciere, who were hanging on his every word. Natsu had taken a seat in the front row. The entire crowd was silent.

"Natsu is a good Angel, despite what anyone says. He went straight to work on his assignment and I admit he took it even more seriously than I did at first," Gray continued, "Natsu entered Magnolia completely innocent and also completely naive of the way Earthland works. He only had pure intentions of helping the girls. He knew most of Heaven was expecting him to fail and he gave it his all anyway."

He paused before continuing, hoping he'd done a good job of establishing Natsu's intentions.

"He got to know both of the girls. He learned about human life both by getting out there and learning it for himself and from tidbits I was able to teach him. He befriended Lucy and was able to bring down her barriers...something she didn't let anyone do except for Levy. It was _Natsu_ that realized Lucy was in trouble. It was _Natsu_ who kept her safe. It wasn't his fault that he realized how much _he_ needed Lucy as much as she needed him! In my opinion, their feelings for each other are pure. They made each other happy in ways I've never seen before - they _complete_ each other! They should be allowed to be together! He should be getting rewarded for his part bringing down Samuel and Dan, not punished for feelings beyond his control! If you had seen the innocence of their relationship - how they talked to each other...how they made each other smile, this trial wouldn't be necessary! We should _all_ be lucky enough to experience that kind of love!"

Gray opened his mouth to continue, but Draculos interrupted, "Okay, thank you, Gray. You can get down now."

"I wasn't done," Gray growled.

"Yes," Draculos stressed, "You _were._ Please step down."

Gray glanced back at Crime Sorciere. Jellal nodded to him. Slowly, Gray got up and descended from the Witness box.

"Levy McGarden – you have two minutes," Wolfheim announced.

Levy had trouble getting up into the giant chair she was pointed to, being that she was so small, but she managed. She turned and faced the microlacrima, losing none of her two minutes.

"Lucy is my best friend. She's also my ward because I'm her Guardian Angel. I've seen how long it takes her to warm up to anyone. Natsu broke down her barriers in less than a week and taught her how to smile again. I've never seen her so happy. When she retold stories to me about what they would do on an outing, it was like her entire being shone. Beyond that, it was because of Natsu and Gray's determination that our story has a happy ending: Lucy and I are not being stalked anymore. Natsu played a huge part in that success. We'd been terrorized for years."

She paused, tearing up slightly.

"It's because of the help of Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Crime Sorciere, that Lucy finally has a chance at life again. The thing is, she loves Natsu. She knows that we're all Angels because _I'm the one who told her_. Not Natsu. Natsu stuck to every other rule of Heaven...he just fell in love. That's it. That's all he's guilty of. How could that possibly be wrong? And now you're going to take away the only source of love Lucy has had for years! She's alone in the world again. She has no other friends, no other family. We're it. The way that Natsu makes her feel, like Gray said, is unlike anything Lucy has ever experienced before...unlike anything most of us will experience in a lifetime. I agree with Gray wholeheartedly. Their love is pure and innocent and it is not something that should be condemned, but celebrated. What Natsu did for us should not be punished. He should be allowed to be with Lucy. And he should be recognized for how he brought Dan into repentance. Furthermore, I don't believe any human would be able to love Lucy like Natsu does. He has his own style. He has his own beliefs. There's no one like him on Earthland. Anyone you send toward her would simply be a 'replacement'. They will never love her like Natsu does. She will forever have a gaping void in her life that cannot be filled. How is _that_ completing the mission of making her happy?"

She got down from the stand without being prompted and made her way back to Gajeel, accepting his hug of encouragement that she did well.

Erza didn't wait to be asked. She sat down in the large chair, again not waiting to be prompted to speak.

"The reason that I am known as the _Titania_ ," she stated, "Is that I don't take any guff from anyone. If there's a wrong, I do my best to make it right. It was a team effort that brought Samuel down, but Dan was brought down by Natsu alone. I admit I knew about the relationship, but I don't agree with what's happening either. You didn't see them together. You didn't see how Natsu was able to calm Lucy down when she was scared or how Lucy was able to bring Natsu down from being ridiculous or dangerous. They compliment each other. Everything Natsu did was straight from the love he holds for Lucy. I stand with my team-mates in the opinion that Natsu's actions should be celebrated and not condemned."

She stood, staring Draculos in the eye, "I'm not sure what you have against Natsu. Perhaps you're one of the Angels who were looking forward to him failing this mission so he could undergo further ridicule, but I hope you'll take a few minutes to see the Angel Natsu is and has become. He is an asset to Heaven and someone I am proud to call a dear friend. I do recommend you consider that Lucy was part of the reason Natsu is who he is today. Be careful how you pass your judgement...the repercussions will be dire if you don't consider all the angles."

"Is that a threat, Ms. Scarlett?" Draculos spat, his voice dripping with venom. He was not enjoying these pointless testimonials.

"You can take it however you want, Mr. Hyberion," Erza replied, straight-faced, "All I'm trying to say is that you are not doing your jobs as justice-keepers if you don't consider the positives in this situation too."

Erza stepped down from the witness box, going back to her seat.

"Is that all now?" Wolfheim asked sarcastically.

"No," Jellal interrupted, "We have something to say too."

Wolfheim and Draculos both groaned their annoyance, but Jellal ignored them as he stood up anyway.

Crime Sorciere went up as a unit, standing behind the microlacrima together.

"Natsu was instrumental in taking down Dan and Samuel," Jellal started, "He managed to do this as any one of our team members would do it…his goal was to save Dan. And he did it…with no Crime Sorciere training and no knowledge or tactics that we use to try to direct criminals on the right path. He talked Dan into realizing that his actions over his life were wrong. When Dan decided there was no redemption for him, he jumped off the cliff with in the intention of ending his life…it was Natsu who dove after him. Furthermore, he was able to summon Angel Wings."

Murmurs passed through the crowds at this new detail. Wings were rare and not easily summoned. None of them had heard this part of the story before now.

" _That's_ how Natsu saved both Lucy and Dan! Natsu didn't hesitate to jump after Dan and Lucy didn't hesitate to jump after Natsu. The rest of us got caught up in stopping the terror that Dan had instilled upon the people of Earthland - _Natsu still thought he could be saved, EVEN when Dan jumped off the cliff_. It was the purity of his motions that allowed him to gain the Legendary Wings," Jellal paused, addressing the crowd, "How many of you have seen them? How many of you have been granted Wings in the interest of doing something pure and unselfish?"

He paused again, listening to the excited murmurs through the crowd. Head after head shook. Barely anyone had seen Wings before.

"That's what I thought," Jellal said into the microlamina. He stepped aside to allow Minerva to speak.

"Natsu made a decision to save both Lucy and Dan as they were falling over the cliff. He didn't have to do that," Minerva pointed out, "He did it because it was the right thing to do, even knowing what Dan had put Lucy and Levy through. Because of that decision, Dan Straight is getting the psychological help he needs to reform his ways."

More murmurs hummed through the crowd. Draculos tapped his foot impatiently.

Minerva continued, "Jellal is right. The rest of us were concentrating on saving Lucy at that point. We weren't trying to save Dan. And let me tell you...the Wings...they're as beautiful as Legend tells. In that moment, Natsu shone with the Light of Heaven. Tell me how someone who can shine with the Light of Heaven can be evil enough to deserve a life in Hell."

"ENOUGH!" Draculos yelled, "We get the point. Move on, or get off the podium."

Minerva glanced at Jellal, then stepped aside for Gajeel. The murmurs continued throughout the crowd, silencing to listen to Gajeel.

"Back before this most recent incident happened, Natsu was dedicated to the point that when he was assigned to Levy for the day. All he wanted was to go back to the apartment, but he wouldn't leave her," Gajeel said, "At the time, they didn't realize I was a Crime Sorciere Angel. And he made it known if I hurt Levy in any way, he would end me (as if that could actually happen...but that's what he said). He totally botched my flirtations because he was so protective."

Gajeel paused, glancing over the crowd, "He does everything 110%. It's not his fault that he has never been coached properly. He did his job well right to the end of the mission. And if you had seen for yourselves how Lucy and Natsu worked together, you'd agree that the real crime here is _not_ Natsu falling in love with Lucy...it's the fact that his love _doesn't count_. Anyone else would be praised for their actions. Anyone else would be up here getting a freakin' medal! But because he's the _Angel of Oops,_ none of you are willing to look past the fact that he failed. How did he fail? How is taking down Dan and Samuel and getting the girl a failure? Mull it over. Tell me who's actually committing the crime."

Warrod and Jura exchanged glances. Neither of them had been on the fence for awhile now. They just hoped the words of Natsu's friends were getting through to Wolfheim and Draculos.

Wendy stepped up shyly, "I can see hearts because it's what I do best. I tried to prevent Natsu from telling Lucy some things at the airport, not understanding their friendship at all. Now that I've gotten to know them a bit better, I can see both their hearts. They love each other more than some people love in a lifetime. Love like that should not be punished. They were not urged apart, but neither were they urged together. They came together on their own. It's beautiful and pure and innocent. They drive each other to be better."

Another murmur passed through the crowd. Erik smiled as he saw a change in the Aura of the room. No longer was it a cross between black and dark blue, which entailed feeling uncertain toward the future and anger and condemnation. It was turning bright yellow, indicating the crowd's previous condemnation toward Natsu was changing. They were starting to hope for him. Spiritual awakening was beginning to course through the room as the crowd started to see how deep the love between Natsu and Lucy ran.

Crime Sorciere glanced at each other, making sure they'd been thorough.

"Thank you," Warrod said gently, "You may all step down. I'd like to suggest a break and time for discussion now."

"Agreed," Draculos said, "We'll reconvene in 2 hours with a verdict."

* * *

It was a long time later than Lucy had finally recanted the entire romance (minus their nights together) to the girl. She made sure she told the stories about the park where he'd played with Lucy and made her laugh and also the aquarium stories were told slowly so that she could get the girl to laugh with her. She told the girl about watching the sunset together and playing ninja in the bushes.

They were still sitting on the bench at the park, but the sun was down now and all the children and their families had gone home.

She spoke about the deeper parts of the conversations - the ones that had melted Lucy's impenetrable heart into trusting Natsu. She recanted how he had held her when she told him about her father and how he nurtured her through it...how he didn't press for more details at the mall when she didn't want to continue the conversation about her past, but consoled her and reiterated that he would never hurt her. He wanted her to trust him and come to him in her own time.

She thought about keeping it to herself, but found herself confiding in the girl about how Natsu needed her too. She told her about their conversations about him being an orphan and how nobody ever really loved him. In fact, Natsu honestly didn't even believe that someone like him _could_ be loved.

The girl gasped at that. It was a crime in itself that an Angel of Heaven could doubt that they were lovable.

In turn, Natsu made the connection that Lucy was alone too. She grew up rich and around people, but there was only really Levy who'd ever been by her side.

"That's all there is to tell," Lucy said softly.

The girl had tears in her eyes, "I didn't know."

"The bottom line," Lucy said, gazing off into the distance, "is that it would be a crime to tear Natsu away from the only thing that ever made him happy. His mission was to make me happy. He did that. But just because he's an Angel, does that exclude him from deserving to be happy too?"

The girl's face was clouded in doubt and anguish. Lucy studied her for a moment, taking in the several shades of pain in her eyes.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Lucy asked finally, "You fell in love with the human who was trying to bridge the gap from death to life. And he used you. And he abused your powers."

The girl nodded, choosing her words.

"And in turn, _I_ abused my abilities to try to stop him," the girl admitted.

"I bet that really hurt," Lucy said slowly, "I'm sorry it didn't work out...I'm really sorry - I still don't know your name."

"My name is Mavis," the girl said quietly, "and you're right. I was the one who implemented the Laws that would protect Angels and humans for several millennia after that incident. It was me that had an experience falling in love with a human."

"What happened to him?" Lucy asked softly.

"He was sent to the netherworld when he died in the fire," Mavis said, wiping a tear from her eye, "I'm sorry, Lucy. It really does sound like a different situation…but the law remains. Angels and humans are forbidden from having a relationship."

Lucy mulled over the information, her heart breaking audibly as her eyes gathered tears, "It doesn't seem fair, Mavis. He never even had a chance to live. Now he's not allowed to have a life in his afterlife either. All Natsu wants is to be loved. it seems horribly wrong that he will be sent to the ultimate punishment for falling in love. Falling in love is supposed to be beautiful and something to celebrate."

Mavis glanced at Lucy's completely broken expression as she wiped her tears from her face with her fingertips.

"We've spent the last while with Crime Sorciere," Lucy told her, working to keep her tears in check, "Natsu told me they give people who deserve a second chance a Doover. Do you miss him, Mavis? I mean...if you were given another chance to see him and to be with him without all the power-hungry drama...would you take it? If it could just be pure and chaste love?"

She paused, knowing she'd struck a nerve when Mavis let out a small cry.

"I wish there was something like that in Heaven for Angels. They're overlooking all the good he's done and want to punish him for the most innocent of his actions. He should get a Doover. It's just not fair."

Mavis's dam of tears burst. Lucy tears were more subtle, but as she contemplated the fate that awaited Natsu, her body started to shake. Inexplicable pain wracked through her body. She would never seen Natsu again. He would condemned to an eternity of torture and pain. Mavis gathered her into her arms, sending a wave of comfort through her.

"No," Mavis cried softly, "It's _not_ fair."

Mavis took a moment to get herself together before turning to the pretty girl beside her.

"Lucy," Mavis took her hand, squeezing it lightly, "Would you do anything - and I mean _anything_ \- to be with Natsu?"

Lucy nodded without hesitation.

Mavis took a deep breath, her voice cracking as she continued, "I think I can help you."

* * *

 _ **Okay! Lemme hear it! What are your predictions?**_

 _ **I've been getting absolutely AMAZING feed-back! I'm curious - how do you think the next chapter will go?**_

 _ **Chapter 60 is my favourite chapter in the ENTIRE STORY!**_

 _ **DO YOU Know what's going to happen?**_


	60. Chapter 60

_**WOW we had some good guesses on what will happen this chapter! Some were PM'd, others in the comments section!**_

 _ **Thank you so much for all the comments, PM's, likes, and follows!**_

 _ **This is, as I've shared with some of you, my favourite chapter in the whole story!**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy it as much as I did - I'm sure it's not going to disappoint, but let me know!**_

 _ **It's also the loooongest chapter in the story...sorry, but I couldn't break it up. It would lessen the impact.**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

* * *

The courtroom filled up very quickly when the doors opened again, indicating that the trial of Natsu Dragneel, the _Angel of Oops_ , would resume very shortly.

Natsu waited in the chamber opposite to the main entrance. Mirajane paced the room nervously. Laxus sat with a frown on his face. Makarov sat down next to Natsu, patting his thigh encouragingly.

"Whatever happens, my boy," Makarov said in a low voice, "You need to remember that it's not true that you're all alone. What I saw out there today was a display of true friendship. Maybe you won't be banned from Heaven. It looked like you managed to gain the support of much of the crowd and also at least two of the councilmen. Don't give up."

Natsu nodded his acknowledgement, but he was nervous. He knew that other Angels wanted to see him fail. He wondered if there was any chance for mercy at all.

"We'll ask for an assignment to Crime Sorciere," Mira said, crossing the room again toward Natsu and Makarov, "A good portion of your friends belong to Crime Sorciere. You'd still be receiving punishment in a sense, but at least you wouldn't be banned."

"The Council won't do that," Laxus argued, "Crime Sorciere primarily works unsupervised on Earthland. They will want to ensure Natsu cannot interfere with Lucy's life anymore."

"Says the number one Angel on the hanging committee!" Mira snarled.

Laxus shook his head, "Even I want to see something good happen for Lucy and Natsu," he said quietly, turning to Natsu, "Your friends are right. You didn't have to save Dan. The fact that you were granted Wings speaks to your character and your intentions. And it seems you were consistently trying to help the two girls throughout the entire time. Levy's testimony made me realize how alive Lucy became when you came into her life. You gave her _hope._ I can admit when I'm wrong."

Natsu caught his eye. He didn't smile, but he did communicate his thanks with his glance.

Laxus sighed, "But it won't matter how any of us feel unless the Council can find a way to get around that rule. I'm sorry, Natsu, but things really don't look good for you right now."

Natsu hung his head. He knew it didn't look good.

"I wish I could see her," he said softly. His pink bangs covered his eyes as he spoke, "I want to tell her how much I love her…so she can move on and be happy. She has so much talent. I said I wasn't sorry…but maybe I am. I don't want her to spend the rest of her life worrying about what happened to me."

He glanced up at Mira, desperation clouding his eyes as he began to sniff back tears.

"You have to make her forget please…promise me you'll go find her and erase her memories of me."

Mira's mouth dropped open. She had no doubt an Angel would be sent to deal with Lucy, but she didn't want to be the one to do it.

"I don't think her memories _should_ be erased," she said softly, recovering from her initial shock. She needed to show Natsu her _support_ …not her own anguish, "You gave her so many happy memories, Natsu. Erasing them would be like taking away the best parts of her."

"But she'll suffer!" Natsu choked on his own tears, "Please Mira…if you can't do it yourself, get a message to Levy. Please."

"Natsu…" Mira's voice trailed off. He was breathing heavily and Mira wondered if she should be getting him a paper bag to breath into. She was pretty sure he was having an anxiety attack.

"PLEASE!" he begged, "She'll spend eternity feeling bad about something that isn't her fault. I will always love her…that's _my_ burden! She deserves so much more! PLEASE Mira!"

Mira had tears in her eyes as she turned away from Natsu. Her heart was breaking. An unexpected pair of arms wrapped around her. Laxus was much taller than she was and his body was huge. He enveloped her, stroking her hair gently.

" _I_ will go to Lucy," Laxus promised, " _I'll_ make sure she knows that you love her and that you want her to move on with her life. And then when she feels peace with it, I'll erase her memories."

Natsu nodded, his tears streaming down his face, "Don't tell her what happened to me. Just tell her I'm okay. Tell her _she'll_ be okay."

Laxus gulped, trying to ward off his own tears. Even Makarov was fighting a break down. Natsu was already accepting that he would be banned.

"Thank you," Natsu whispered, barely able to get the words out.

There was a knock at the door.

"They're ready for us," Makarov said solemnly, wiping his eyes.

As the others filed for the doorway, Makarov held Natsu back for a moment.

"Remember what I said, Natsu," he repeated, "There are a lot of Angels out there rooting for you now. Hold your head high."

Natsu took a deep breath, hugging the little old man before standing as straight as he could and following the small crowd out the door.

* * *

Levy was pouring through the Book of Heaven, trying to find a loophole to save Natsu. She was discouraged. There didn't seem to be anything that could help. The rule was very black and white. Humans and Angels were forbidden to fall in love. There were no loopholes.

She took off her speed reading glasses and took a big, shaky breath.

Gajeel bent down on his knees beside her table, taking her hands in his, "You tried, Shrimp. I think now it would be best if you concentrated on how to help Lucy through this."

Levy shook her head, unable to contain the tears streaming down her cheeks, "I _can't_ help her through this. What could I possibly say to her that will make this better?"

"We'll help you," Jellal promised, entering the room with Crime Sorciere, including the new recruits: Erza, Gray, Juvia, and Sorano.

"It's not right!" Levy screamed, slamming the Book off the table onto the ground, "NOTHING about this is right!"

The others stared at the Book, strewn on the floor. Levy was angry and full of angst. There wasn't a thing they could say to make her - or Lucy - feel better - and they all knew it.

Jellal's phone went off. His eyes widened as he glanced at it. His phone rarely went off. The others frowned too. It was unusual for a call to go directly to Jellal. Usually Gajeel fielded incoming calls. He excused himself, going to answer it.

"Natsu is right!" Levy yelled, kicking the table over with surprising strength, "Everything about this stinks! What's the good of being an Angel if you're not allowed some happiness too? And has the Council even _considered_ what this will to do Lucy?"

She kicked the chair over, her face bright red with the rage that she felt. Gajeel encircled his arms around her back, pulling her against him. She struggled, elbowing him in the abs. It didn't affect him at all. He held her, only loosening his grip when she stopped moving. Her chest heaved with a combination of unshed tears and anger.

"This won't help, Shrimp," he whispered in her ear, "You have to calm down before we go out there. If you show your anger to the Council, they might withdraw you as Lucy's Guardian."

Levy burst into fitful sobs, turning in Gajeel's arms to cry into his chest. The rest of Crime Sorciere stared solemnly at the ground, feeling absolutely helpless.

Jellal came back into the room, a half-smile edging on his face, "It's time to go back to the courtroom," he announced, "Go – but _stall! DO NOT_ let them hand down the verdict! Got it?"

The others stared at him, confused.

"Help is on the way," Jellal promised, "I have to go for awhile – Keep Council busy. Crime Sorciere, do what you have to, but do _NOT_ let them hand down the verdict!"

He disappeared out the door as quickly as he'd come in.

Erik glanced at Sorano, then at Erza, Juvia and Gray, "Okay, you four…how do you feel about proving yourselves as members of this team?"

Minerva slammed her hand into her fist, "Jellal said to stall. That means he knows something we don't. I say we show the crowd how disruptive Crime Sorciere can be!"

They glanced at each other, all of them terrified since they were used to living life in the shadows. Disruptions were not their thing. But it was do or die time. They all trusted Jellal…and if Jellal said there was a reason to hope, they would stall until it was an impossibility to stall anymore.

* * *

The crowd in the courtroom was even larger, if that was possible, than the precedings. Angels were crowded into the benches as far back as the eye could comprehend. Some of them held signs with the message, ' _Let Natsu be with Lucy_!' and ' _Justice for the Angel of Oops_!'.

As Natsu entered the courtroom, he was overwhelmed with the response from the 'audience'. They gave him a standing ovation, some chanting _'Angel of Oops…Angel of Oops'_ as he approached the witness stand where he would stay until the verdict was handed down.

Natsu was fighting tears again, this time because of the support he seemed to have gained.

The room started to quieten as the Council filed in, taking their seats at the head of the courtroom. Crime Sorciere, Levy, and Erza took their places in the front row, glancing at each other for ideas on how to keep the courtroom engaged in activity _other than_ handing Natsu his sentence.

"If we can all quieten down," Wolfheim announced, "We have reached a verdict by majority rules."

Jura's eyes flashed anger at Wolfheim and Draculos, Warrod letting out a loud, "Harumph."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise, wondering if it was really a majority rule. There were 4 councilmen. If two hadn't agreed to the sentence, how was it majority rules?

The councilmen sat back, waiting for the room to get quieter. The chants began to subside. Gray, Erik and Minerva disappeared to further back benches, trying to renew the vigor of the chant. Some of the other Angels in the crowd recognized their attempts to stall the progression of the hearing and chanted louder.

" _Angel of Oops! Angel of Oops!"_

"Enough!" Wolfheim said in a loud voice, "Stop that at once or the Guards will remove you from the courtroom!"

The room started to get quiet again.

"Natsu Dragneel," Draculos said into the microlacrima, "You stand before us on charges of falling in love with a human. You are hereby give one last chance to plead guilty. What say you?"

Natsu glanced out into the crowd who had whipped up into a frenzy again, chanting his name and holding up their signs.

"SILENCE!" Wolfheim demanded.

The crowd did not go silent. In fact, many raised to their feet, Levy, Gray, Erik, and Minerva among them, raising their fists in the air as they continued the chant.

" _Justice for the Angel of Oops! Justice for Natsu!"_

A steady thumping started to reverberate throughout the room. Angels glanced at each other, unclear at first what the sound was, then all eyes centered in on Gajeel Redfox. He was wearing his white suit with the matching fedora hat. He had a harmonica floating in mid-air beside his mouth and an electric guitar on his lap.

 _Thump thump thump thump_

 _Thump thump thump thump_

 _They call him the Angel of Oops_!

 _And wow he was such a screw up_

 _Shooby do waaa!_

Gajeel sang with the beat, strumming his electric guitar randomly.

 _He called me a Doover_

 _And I was like "I am not a Doover!"_

 _I AM A MULLIGAN! MULLIGAN ANGEL OH YEAH_

 _Shooby di wa wa wa_

Angels groaned at the horrendous sound, chucking their signs at him in protest, then resumed their chants.

 _ANGEL OF OOPS_

 _ANGEL OF OOPS_

Gajeel was undeterred.

 _Ooooooooooooooh I wanted to thump him!_

 _But Shrimp got all pissed off at me!_

 _She's really scary when she's pissed off!_

 _But I'm tough and I don't scare easily_

 _Shooby do waaaaaaa di da da da_

Gajeel sang louder.

Draculos rolled his eyes. He didn't know _why_ they were stalling the verdict, but it wouldn't work. This was utterly ridiculous.

"Celestial Guards!" Draculos yelled, "Remove anyone causing a scene from the stands!"

Big, brawny Angels entered the courtroom, instantly heading up the stands to be begin removing protesting Angels, starting with Gajeel and his guitar.

Seeing an opportunity to prolong the stalling, Minerva began to sing too, drowning out Gajeel's horrible song. It was a loud, clear voice that overtook the crowd immediately. Her voice was sweet and sent chills through Natsu's spine. Erza joined in from the front of the room, her voice deeper and an octave lower, but just as beautiful.

 _Amazing Grace_

 _How Sweet the Sound_

 _That saved a wretch like me_

Other voices joined Minerva and Erza's creating an impromptu choir. The Guards had no idea what to do. Normally a song like this, especially with a voice as powerful as Minerva's would grind Heaven to a halt so everyone could revel in the beauty of it. It seemed wrong to interrupt. And yet, now it was being sung purely to drive home the point that Natsu deserved Grace too.

 _I once was lost_

 _But now am found_

"REMOVE THEM FROM THE COURTROOM!" Draculos demanded.

The Guards woke up from their reverie, moving directly for both Minerva and Erza. Neither woman protested as their hands were drawn behind their backs and they were lead from the room, still maintaining their powerful voices.

 _I was blind but now I see_

As they were lead from the room, Wendy, Sorano, and Juvia exchanged glances as they picked up where Minerva and Erza left off, getting up from their spots and moving on opposite sides of the room to avoid getting caught at the same time.

 _Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear_

 _And Grace my fears relieved_

"This is ridiculous!" Wolfheim thundered, "Get them out of here! All of them!"

Gray and Erik joined them, their baritone/tenor voices blending in with the ladies', harmonizing.

 _How precious did that Grace appear_

 _The hour I first believed_

Natsu's eyes were wide as Angels hummed along with the song. The chorus was sung again, harmony ringing throughout the room. It was magnificent. Natsu was touched to his core.

More Guards were summoned into the room, forcibly removing Wendy, Juvia, Sorano, Erik and Gray as well as several onlookers from the crowd. Chaos erupted as Gajeel forced his way back into the room, wearing Angel garb again. He 'accidentally' elbowed a nearby onlooker.

To the councilmens' absolute horror, a fight broke out.

* * *

Down on Earthland, Lucy sat with Plue and Happy, forlornly petting each of them as they curled up on the couch.

She hoped that Mavis would be able to do something.

After their heart-to-heart talk, Mavis held Lucy's hands and promised she would find a way to return Natsu to her. She had disappeared in a puff of golden light.

Lucy found herself trying to believe that Mavis could do something, but doubt started to grab at her.

"Please be okay, Natsu," she whispered.

She needed comfort. Her anxiety was making her tear up as she worried for Natsu. He was so sweet and so innocent. She imagined Hell would be a thousand times worse for him than others. It pained her to think about the agony he'd endure for the rest of eternity.

It wasn't right.

She began to hum.

 _Amazing Grace_

 _How sweet the sound._

* * *

Jellal hurriedly printed off the document and handed it to Mavis, who signed it with a golden quill. Immediately the document shone gold brightly, solidifying the words on the page.

"It's done," Mavis announced with a smile on her face.

"We don't have much time," Jellal told her, "The slide show is as good as it's going to get. The Angels can only stall for so long."

Mavis nodded, then took off after Jellal as they both broke into a run to get to the Heavenly Courtroom.

* * *

"There will be order!" Wolfheim yelled at the now-quiet crowd, "That was absolutely _shameful!_ A fight in a Heavenly Courtroom! Seriously! Any more outbursts will result in a private verdict! _Do I make myself clear?"_

Behind him, Warrod and Jura were trying to hide their entertained faces. Honestly, that song had been sung so well, it could have been recorded. Well, the Amazing Grace song… _everyone_ could have done without Gajeel's song…

Almost half of the crowd had been forcibly removed from the room, including Crime Sorciere. The remaining crowd sat quietly, but not oblivious to the chanting from the people who had been removed outside.

 _Angel of Oops_

 _Angel of Oops_

Natsu sat quietly in his witness box, trying to hide the amused smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. He knew his friends were stalling, but he had no idea why. Putting off the inevitable? He was still touched by the gesture.

"I'm going to make this quick!" Draculos thundered, pointing at Natsu, "Because there is no room for discussion where the Book is concerned. It clearly states that a relationship between a human and an Angel is forbidden and punishable by banishment from Heaven. There are four councilmen present and all four of us –"

"That's not true!" Warrod argued, standing up, "Two of us _did not_ agree with the verdict!"

"Sit down," Wolfheim hissed.

Juvia stifled a giggle at the amused look in Warrod's eyes as he confronted Draculos.

"The rules state that there must be a majority rule to any ruling handed down in Heaven!" Warrod retorted, "You are handing this ruling down _without_ a majority rule! The truth of it is there are two of us who don't agree! We were simply backed into a corner because of _your insistence_ that we cannot go against the book! That does _not_ mean we agree with you!"

"The Book is clear on the ruling!" Wolfheim argued, "We cannot cross the Book – it doesn't _matter_ if it wasn't majority rules – not in this case!"

Jura stood beside Warrod, staring down Wolfheim and Draculos. The crowd was awed. Never before in Heaven history had _this_ happened before.

"It's our two votes plus the backing of the Book that decides it," Draculos said in a stern voice to Warrod, "And I'm getting sick of this game. The verdict is as follows: Natsu Dragneel, you are hereby sentenced to –"

"And who made you the boss?" Jura jeered, "All in favour of a recount! Make some noise!"

Instantly, the room erupted into chaos again.

The doors slammed open, effectively halting the crowd's antics.

Wolfheim and Draculos sighed heavily.

 _Now what?_

Jellal Fernandez entered the room, holding a document over his head, followed by Erza, Gray, Juvia, Sorano, Minerva and Wendy.

"You have not been told you can re-enter this room!" Wolfheim thundered, "How did you get past the Guards? GUARDS! Arrest these Angels!"

But no Guards appeared.

"They've been told to stand down," a new voice said from the front of the room.

The entire crowd that had been banished from the room started filing back in. The voice did not appear, but it commanded obedience. Wolfheim and Draculos were utterly confused. Massive waves of peace and comfort flooded the room, effectively killing any ongoing rebellion, including from the livid councilmen. Draculos and Wolfheim stared in awe as the waves washed over them.

Several minutes passed as Angels made their way back to their seats. This time they were quiet as they settled immediately into their chairs.

"I'd like to play this recording," the voice said, "And then I'll tell you what's going to happen next."

A screen came down from the ceiling and an image of Lucy and Natsu appeared – the pictures from the photo booth at the mall.

The clip from the botched robbery, also from the mall, played. Lucy had her arms around Natsu's waist, beaming with pride.

Then another picture of the group in Crocus, all huddled together for a group photo.

The picture of Natsu, garbed in Erza and Lucy's make-up job appeared, making the room ripple with laughter.

There was a picture of Lucy cuddled up with Plue and Happy, lying on Natsu's stomach…and then an image that had been taken the day that Natsu and Lucy had gone to the aquarium.

More images popped up that Natsu didn't recognize. There was a picture of them cuddling at the park when they had their picnic date…and one taken at the beach the day they'd taken Plue there…and another one in Crocus as they walked the city hand-in-hand.

A tear ran down Natsu's face. He missed her so much. It was almost cruel to play back these pictures. It felt like a knife was twisting in his gut.

The images paused. Natsu found himself wondering where they'd come from.

"It is true," the voice continued, "That the laws of Heaven state that no Angel shall have a relationship with a human. The punishment for such an offense is banishment."

There was a flash of light that illuminated the room as small girl with long, blonde hair came into view. She adorned the Legendary Wings on her back, golden in colour, and a pure, white robe that hung to her feet. Realizing who the voice belonged to, the Councilmen and every Angel in the room bent to their knees.

Juvia and Sorano didn't know who she was, glancing at each other, confused.

"Mavis," Gray whispered to Juvia. He was on his knees too, "She's the Daughter of God…and the only Angel other than God that can amend a Book rule."

Juvia's eyes widened, reached for Sorano's hand and gently guided her to a kneeling position as well.

Natsu was the only one who wasn't bowing. He remained in the witness stand, confused as heck at the chaos that had been rampant only moments ago. Now, the Daughter of God crossed the room to stand in front of him, offering a kind smile.

"Natsu," she said softly so that no one else could hear, "It's going to be okay. I know you're scared. But Lucy and I have a plan. Believe in us. Believe in Lucy."

She leaned forward so that no one else could hear, smiling gently, "Lucy gave me a message for you. She says she loves you. And she'll do anything to be with you… _whatever it takes_."

She pulled back from the witness stand, winking at him as she went to confront the Council.

Natsu was sure he'd cried enough tears to create a new ocean by now, but that didn't stop the new tears from streaming down his face.

 _Lucy had found a way to fight for them. And he would be damned (literally) if he was going down without a fight too!_

* * *

Mavis paced the floor a moment before turning to face the Council. The room was dead quiet now. All signs of rebellion were gone.

Mavis did not make appearances in Heaven often. She spent most of her time observing. It was a lonely existence, yet another reason she could identify with Lucy and Natsu both.

In Mavis's case, however, it was voluntary that she was so alone. After the events that tore her apart from a man she thought had loved her, Mavis felt no need to interact with anybody…why risk getting hurt again? Instead, she hid from the masses, simply observing in the shadows.

"I do not condone the action of a human and an Angel finding love together," she told the Council, "I know first-hand how it reeks havoc on one's emotions both as an Angel and a human…how it quickly spirals out of control when they start using _abilities_ against each other. So I can honestly tell you that I have been following this story in earnest from the start. This has happened only one other time in history. It is because of that event that the rule that has been set forth by the Book. No other Angel has ever allowed themselves to cross that line. And, like everyone else, I've had my moments of shaking my head at the _Angel of Oops_. We've all been following his mess-ups for years."

Natsu groaned. Was this her idea of helping? The way it was going, he was probably better off taking his chances with the Council's decision.

"In fact, it was _me_ that had them followed when I first received news from another reporting Angel that it could be true that a Cupid Angel had the audacity to fall in love with his assignment. I had them followed and that's where many of these images have come from."

Natsu sighed heavily… _that's_ where those images had come from. But he still didn't know who had reported it in the first place.

"However," Mavis continued, "I would like to share that I have been listening to both the events that happened here in this courtroom and also what has been happening on Earthland. I spent some time with Lucy Heartfilia."

Another image popped up on the screen. Lucy was lying on her bed, tears flowing so plentiful that the pillow beneath her was wet. Natsu felt another pain shoot through him. He wanted to comfort her. Her pain became his as he regarded her forlorn expression. The next video clip showed Lucy rocking back and forth on the patio. Plue and Happy were trying to cuddle into her side, but it was she didn't even see them.

"These are pictures I took in the past few days," Mavis announced as another picture popped up of Lucy after 5 days of no sleep. Her eyes were baggy. She was visibly dirty and her clothes were stained, "I want you to see how scared and alone Lucy is."

Natsu felt a another jolt of pain rip through his body as another picture popped up of Lucy crying in her bed with Plue and Happy surrounding her. The pain was not subsiding now. It was constant. She was miserable. And she was alone. He just wanted to leave this place and go be with her.

"Lucy Heartfilia was born to a rich family," Mavis said, glancing to the Councilmen, who were now listening with open eyes. Not even Draculos or Wolfheim dared to challenge her as she spoke, "But after her mother died, she didn't know love. Not for years. She spent her time with her Guardian Angel, Levy McGarden, running from mad men who were out to destroy her life. Natsu was alone in a different way. He died when he was a baby on Earthland – simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time _because he was abandoned_ by everyone who was supposed to love him."

Levy gasped as a picture of young Lucy with her two parents popped up. Lucy looked so happy. It must have been from the time period that Jude tried to make his marriage with Layla work. In another picture, Jude was tickling Lucy. In another, she lay in her mother's arms, reading a book. She cocked her head, wondering where the photo had come from. Her eyes widened as she glanced at Jellal, confirming her suspicion – these were the photos from the keepsake box.

"These were the last times Lucy Heartfilia smiled," Mavis said, "Until she met Natsu Dragneel."

They photos shown at the beginning replayed. He missed Lucy's face. Somehow it was comforting to see her on the screen, laughing and playing like a normal child...but his favourites were the ones taken of himself and Lucy.

"The bottom line," Mavis continued, turning off the pictures, "is that although it is forbidden for Angels and humans to have a relationship, there are special circumstances in this case that warrant the creation of a new clause!"

Whispers ensued throughout the crowd, but they hushed almost immediately as Mavis paused, glancing at Natsu.

"We cannot undo the Angel/human forbidden relationship rule. I still believe in its' merit. Some Angels and humans will take advantage of each other if given the chance. Plus, we cannot allow Natsu and Lucy to have their relationship but deny the next case that comes up…or the case after that. _HOWEVER_ , I believe that Natsu and Lucy's case is special and warrants a different outcome."

She paused, turning back toward Natsu.

"Natsu Dragneel, do you remember your time on Earthland?"

Natsu shook his head.

"Do you remember your parents?" she asked.

Natsu shook his head again.

"Who, other than Lucy, has ever loved you?" Mavis demanded.

Natsu was quiet, his desolateness reflecting in his eyes.

"Nobody has ever loved me," he said softly, "but since I met Lucy, I've been able to make friends. We have a very tight group now."

"Thank you, Natsu," Mavis said, winking at him.

Hope flashed through his mind at her wink. She was trying to tell him subconsciously that things were about to get interesting.

"My submission," Mavis continued, turning back between the crowd and the Council, "is that banishment in this case is too extreme. Natsu is a young man who has never known love before and it was because of Lucy Heartfilia that he got his first doses of it. As he learned to love and be loved, he began to make friends and he ended up being the hero in Lucy and Levy's story by stopping Dan and Samuel's activities. _He would not be the Angel of Oops if he had experienced love when he was young like the rest of us! He_ _was never nurtured_ _!_ "

She paused, letting the submission sink in.

"What are you suggesting?" Draculos asked slowly.

"The new clause," Mavis announced, her eyes flickering with light as a smile spread across her face, "The _Angel of Oops_ clause."

Whispers ran rampantly again throughout the room. Mavis let them digest the information for a moment before holding up the document signed by herself.

"This is the _Angel of Oops Clause_ , in writing, for submission to be added the Book. It states that if any being, Angel or human, has been _completely_ deprived of a life of love through no fault of their own and somehow falls in love with another being where their relationship would normally be forbidden, they can have a Doover."

"A what?" Wolfheim scoffed.

" _A DOOVER!"_ Mavis stressed, "Like Crime Sorciere, who was so pertinent to this case! They hand out Doovers to criminals every day – a chance to make up for their mistakes. In this case, the Doover would not be a chance to make up for their mistakes, but a chance to have love."

Gajeel banged his forehead into his hand, silently screaming out, ' _Mulligan!"_

"That's ridiculous!" Draculos yelled, "You're suggesting Natsu gets off scott-free and goes back to Earthland to live with Lucy? Even though it's completely against the Book?"

Mavis shook her head, hitting a button the remote control that controlled the screen where the pictures had been shown.

Lucy's image appeared on the screen. It was a video.

" _Lucy, thank you for agreeing to do this video to try to help Natsu in the Heavenly Court," Mavis's voice said, "Please, as there is no way that you can go to Heaven to tell them yourself, state what you just said to me so the Council can hear."_

 _Lucy looked at her feet, then directly into the camera, "I love Natsu Dragneel," she said softly, "There is no other way to look at it. I love him. You can ban him from Heaven, but that's not going to make things right. You are not only condemning Natsu if you make that ruling…you're also condemning me. I will never love again…I will never trust another person…I will never be able to enter Heaven…because this will consume me."_

 _She paused, tears streaming down her face, "I'm making this video to plead with you. Give him a Doover. Give him a chance to experience what almost every other being in the universe gets to experience at some time in their existence…the opportunity to love and be loved…because he never had that chance other than just recently…with me."_

" _Would you do anything to be with Natsu, even if it meant giving up a part of your life?" Mavis's voice asked Lucy._

 _Lucy nodded, "I would find a way to end up in Hell if need be…just to be with him. Yes."_

Mavis turned the image off. Natsu's hand was outstretched, his mouth open slightly, as if he hoped he could touch her image as it faded away. Tears were streaming down his face again.

The room was silent. Completely and utterly silent. Some Angels were watching Natsu's reactions. Others reacted with tears of their to Lucy's video.

"I discussed in detail this proposal with Lucy. She agreed to it before I came here tonight," Mavis held out the _Angel of Oops Clause_. My proposal is not to send Natsu back to Earthland as an Angel to be with Lucy…but to send him back as a human."

Murmurs went through the crowd.

"How is that even possible?" Wolfheim asked, "You can't just make him undead! You can't make him human again!"

"I can," Mavis said softly, "I'm the Daughter Angel. I have a special ability called 'Fairy Law'. I can make Natsu a human again, but it's permanent. His life cycle will reset. He won't remember his time here, even when he dies again."

Murmurs broke through the crowd, expressing their angst over what they were hearing. It was seemingly impossible, what she was suggesting.

"You can't go against the Book!" Draculos reminded her.

The crowd was getting noisy again.

Mavis spoke above them, "In order to keep from crossing the rule of the Book stating humans and Angels cannot fall in love, every trace of both of their memories together needs to be erased. Natsu will not remember he was an Angel. Lucy will not remember she was protected by Angels. She will have altered memories where Dan and Samuel were apprehended by police. Memories of a happy childhood will be implanted into Natsu's memories and he will be trained for a career to give him a background. They will have to meet again and fall in love again. They won't remember each other."

Natsu almost choked. Not remember Lucy? He couldn't stomach the thought.

"Natsu has spent his whole existence looking for a place where he belongs," Mavis concluded, "He has stated that his place is with Lucy. This would both take care of the problem of him being a thorn in Heaven's side, as Draculos and Wolfheim and multiple other Angels keep bringing up, and also give Natsu and Lucy a chance to try again _without_ the human/Angel forbidden aspect."

The crowd was stunned, still silent. The odd whisper ran through the crowd, but largely, everyone's eyes were on the Council to see what they'd say about it.

Warrod and Jura were pleased, and their faces shone their approval. Wolfheim and Draculos both looked conflicted. _They needed more convincing._

"Natsu," Mavis said gently, "You stated that you'd do anything to be with Lucy. Is that right? Do you agree to this proposal?"

Natsu wanted to agree readily, but his head was spinning. How could he forget Lucy? How could he abandon all their memories and what they meant to each other? He glanced up at the screen. Lucy's face was still there. Perhaps she seemed even more beautiful than usual just now. Could he live with not remembering that face?

He glanced at his friends in the front row. They all beamed at him, encouraging him.

He would get to fall in love with Lucy all over again. They would make new memories. It was this, or keep the old memories and never see her again. Mavis had said Lucy had already agreed to it. She would give up her memories and her past…for him. She believed in their love _that much_...that even forgetting each other would not prevent them from finding each other again.

The crowd all leaned forward in their seats, Crime Sorciere, Erza, and Levy included. Levy was trying to read the expression on Natsu's face, but she supposed not even he really knew how he was feeling at that moment.

Natsu glanced down at his hands for several minutes, contemplating his options. When his eyes came up again, they were filled with determination.

He nodded, "I would accept this proposal with my whole heart. I want to be with Lucy."

Mavis grinned, "Very well then! We have a viable solution!"

She turned to the Council, her face beaming, "Alright Council. I'm done now – what is your verdict?"

Warrod stood up, clearing his throat of the tears that threatened to spill over, "I vote for the _Angel of Oops Clause."_

Jura stood up beside him, "As do I. I vote for the _Angel of Oops Clause."_

All eyes turned to Wolfheim and Draculos, who both had their mouths open in complete awe of the sudden turn of events. Wolfheim's face was wavering. He never meant to be the bad guy in this…he was just trying to do his job as he was appointed to. His job was to promote the values of the Book. But if the _Angel of Oops Clause_ was to be added to the Book by the Daughter of God herself, then it was a much happier alternative than sending Natsu to Hell.

"I vote for the _Angel of Oops Clause,"_ he said in a loud voice.

Draculos regarded his fellow Angel. Wolfheim was a good councilman. Draculos had incredible respect for him. In all matters, he'd always been reasonable. It wasn't often that they had to discipline an Angel, which was partly why this was such a high-profile case. _Many_ Angels had been up for discipline today. It was never a happy thing to hand down punishment.

"I…" Draculos said slowly, glancing at Natsu.

Natsu's face was drained of colour. His eyes were lined with worry…terror even. He knew Draculos didn't like him. He had no idea why, but he'd been determined Natsu was going to go down from the beginning.

Draculos glanced out to the crowd again. Everyone was completely silent. It had amazed Draculos how Angels had gone from being _Angel of Oops_ haters to his biggest supporters in less than a day.

Draculos crossed the room to the podium where Natsu sat and covered the microlacrima for a moment.

"I'm sorry," Draculos said, looking Natsu directly in the eyes, "for the hard time I've been giving you."

He uncovered the microlacrima.

"I hope you and Lucy will have long, happy lives together," Draculos said out loud.

The entire courtroom erupted into cheers.

Tears were streaming down Natsu's face again, but he wasn't the only one. Pretty much everyone was crying, elated at the turn of events.

"Then by unanimous vote...Natsu Dragneel," Draculos announced, making it official, "I hereby adhere to the _Angel of Oops Clause_. Congratulations...and good luck to both you and Lucy."

Natsu got down from the podium, B-lining to where Mavis stood back. Her Wings had disappeared and now she stood, taking the boisterous room in. He pulled her into a hug, unaware of the looks he was getting from Draculos. It was forbidden to hug the Daughter of God uninvited! He'd just made another _Oops_ right in front of them!

But nobody else cared.

Makarov was hugging Laxus and Mira. Juvia and Gray were engrossed in a tight liplock. Gajeel and Levy were embracing, their grins threatening to split their faces.

Jellal drew Erza into a hug, jumping back and turning away as he realized he hadn't asked. Her face turned as red as her hair and she whirled him around, forcing the hug back on him.

Minerva, Erik and Wendy were enveloped in a 3-way hug, making room for the other members of Crime Sorciere. The roar of the crowd was deafening as they started up their chants again.

 _Angel of Oops_

 _Angel of Oops_

"Thank you," Natsu said to Mavis, wiping his face with his hand again. The stream of tears seemed endless. He was possibly still in shock. He really did think the verdict was written in stone.

"No, thank _you,_ " Mavis replied, covering his hand with hers, "You've given me a Doover too. I just let go of some really painful memories thanks to you and Lucy. Maybe now I can learn to love again too."

They watched the group hug of Crime Sorciere, Levy, and Erza for a moment, smiles adorning both their faces.

"You should go say goodbye," Mavis said softly. She had to repeat herself louder since the crowd was still celebrating noisily.

Natsu's eyes got wide. He hadn't thought about that! He was about to give up being an Angel…that meant his memories of his friends would be erased too. Despair passed through his entire being.

"It will be okay," Mavis promised.

Natsu nodded, turning to thank her again, but as he turned, he realized she had disappeared.

"Thank you," he whispered to himself, wiping the last of tears.

"Natsuuuuu!" Levy yelled from the group hug.

A grin split his face as he took a running start and dog-piled right into the centre of the group. He was lost in a mixture of emotion. He would have his chance to be with his Lucy, but it meant saying goodbye to the Angels who come to mean so much to him. He pushed the thoughts aside, revelling in the love he felt at that moment.

His friends backed away after a good few minutes of laughing, crying, and hugging Natsu, allowing him to greet and thank other Angels waiting in line to express their well-wishes. They offered their high 5's and hugs. Natsu felt overwhelmed. These were Angels who had never given him the time of day before, but he didn't feel any malice toward them. In fact, he was _thankful_ for the opportunity to thank them for their last-minute support.

Erza stood back with Jellal, watching the scene. A tear escaped her eye.

"He's not the _Angel of Oops_ anymore," she said to Jellal.

He reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently.

"No, he's not," Jellal replied.

He tried to pull his hand away, but Erza held on, blushing as he caught her eye.

"You know, I might actually _miss_ the _Angel of Oops_ ," Gray said, strolling up to them with his arm wrapped tightly around Juvia's waist, "He did a lot for all of us."

Levy nodded, tucking herself into Gajeel's side. She watched Natsu talk to an Angel he had worked with in the Growth Department during the spaghetti squash incident.

"I'm going to miss him," she said softly, "Do you think he knows yet? That he has to say goodbye?"

Wendy, Minerva, Sorano, and Erik joined them.

Erik glanced out at the swarms of Aura in the crowd. It was primarily celebratory. But Natsu's Aura was mixed.

Natsu was working hard to thank the Angels that had stood up for him. He was _full_ of anxiety and fear, and yet, he also exuded an Aura of relief, comfort, and hope. Erik's lip quivered as he recognized how much pain his friend was in.

"Yes," Erik said softly, "He knows."

* * *

 _ **So there you have it!**_

 _ **I hope it didn't disappoint! I'm really proud of this chapter...I hope you love it as much as I do.**_

 _ **Oh - and nobody guessed FLASH MOB...Do I win?**_


	61. Chapter 61

Natsu was sitting in the courtroom alone in a seat in the middle of the observation benches, trying to comprehend everything that had just happened. The other Angels were gone now. It had taken a long time to thank everyone who had supported him. For the first time in his existence, Natsu felt accepted by the other Angels. He had received apologies for the way he had been treated, well-wishes for what was to come, and more hugs than he could count.

The Councilmen had all approached him one by one as well.

Jura had expressed his pleasure in this arrangement. He had never wanted to send Natsu to Hell. He felt peace with this new turn of events. Warrod had expressed very close to the same sentiment, letting Natsu in on the little secret that Juvia was like his daughter. Although it pained him that Juvia's time as a human on Earthland was over, he was thankful that things turned out the way it did. He thanked Natsu for his part in ending the nightmare and getting justice for his little girl. Wolfheim simply shook Natsu's hand and told him he hoped his second time on Earthland would prove to be full of love and laughter.

Draculos didn't know what to say. He stood in front of Natsu, silent as the other judges congratulated Natsu. As they walked away, Natsu offered his hand to shake.

"I'm sorry," Draculos said quietly, taking Natsu's hand and shaking it, "I meant it when I said I was sorry for being so hard on you."

"It worked out," Natsu replied, "I'm thankful for this second chance."

Draculos looked Natsu in the eye, "There's something different about you, _Angel of Oops_. I hope when the transformation is done, you won't lose it...the innocence...the drive to fight for what's right," he paused, trying to manage a smile, "Take care of her, Natsu."

"I will," Natsu promised.

Draculos left the room, glancing back from the door, then disappeared.

That was 10 minutes ago.

Natsu was thankful for the time alone. His emotions were all over the map. He felt relief and gratitude and anxiety all at the same time.

 _Forget Lucy. Forget Gray and Levy and Gajeel and the Doover Angels._

How could he? Since all of the above had come into his life, his existence had changed for the better. He found peace with who he was and an excitement for the future. Would he still feel this way when he woke up with no memories of his time with them?

He would have new memories. Honestly, before he met everyone, he probably could have done without any memories. He was thankful for the opportunity to have other Angels accept him, but his existence had been wrought with pain and despair over being so alone. Maybe new memories was not such a bad thing.

"You aren't going to join your friends at Fairy Tail for the celebration?" a voice asked beside him.

Natsu glanced around, surprised that he wasn't alone.

A gold luminescence flashed beside him. She was beautiful. She had long, golden hair and a kind face. At first, Natsu thought she was Mavis, but the woman was taller and more…filled out.

She looked like an older version of Lucy.

Natsu's mouth dropped open as he realized the truth of his thoughts.

"My name is Layla Heartfilia," the woman said, taking Natsu's hand.

Natsu's mouth remained open. He had no clue how to respond…this was Lucy's beloved mother.

"I cannot express how happy I am to meet you," she continued, a tear brimming in her eye, "or how thankful I am that you came in to my Lucy's life."

Natsu tried to speak, but it was like his mouth was glued into place.

She giggled, the musical sound very similar to the one that Lucy would make, "I won't bite, Natsu. It's okay to talk to me."

He choked again, trying to find words.

"I wanted to thank you personally," Layla shot him a smile, full of warmth, "And I have a confession to make."

He tried to return the smile, still struggling to deal with his emotions. _This was Lucy's mother…_ How he wished Lucy could be here right now. He silently called out to her. He wanted her to be there with him to talk to Layla so badly. He missed her so much.

"I'm really, REALLY happy to meet you!" he blurted out finally.

She grinned, reminding him of Lucy's way of gently teasing him, "Oh – so you _do_ talk!"

"I'm sorry," he lamented, turning slightly red, "Today has been an emotional day. My head isn't screwed on straight yet. Not literally...I mean...my head is _straight...and I didn't actually have to screw it on..._ but I haven't had a chance to process everything yet...and I really didn't expect to meet you..."

Natsu realized he was babbling. His face turned red. This was not the impression he wanted to make to the mother of the woman he loved.

"I shocked you," Layla agreed, still beaming, "I'm sorry, Natsu. I just wanted the chance to talk to you…before you go back to Earthland."

He nodded, returning the smile, "Lucy loves you so much. I really wish she could be here right now."

Sighing, Layla let go of his hand, facing the front of the courtroom, "I'm going to ask if I can see her…just for a few moments. I've always been there, Natsu. I've always watched over her every chance I got. Her life has been so complicated. And I hate myself for it. I never wanted any of this for her."

"I know," Natsu said simply, "You did a good job with her. She's amazing despite everything she went through. She's sweet and funny and so intelligent, it baffles me sometimes."

"You did a good job with her too," Layla said pointedly, making eye contact with him, "You brought her out of her shell and taught her that there's still things in life to look forward to. Nobody I sent toward her could do that."

He smiled awkwardly, "I love her."

"I know you do," Layla replied, taking his hand again.

"What Division have you been working in?" Natsu asked, suddenly aware of the fact that in all his years in Heaven, he'd never actually seen her. He was sure he'd remember her. Lucy and Layla looked like they could be sisters…and if Lucy's face had compelled him into believing she was the most beautiful being in the universe, certainly he would have remembered Layla.

"I'm a Starkeeper," Layla said, "When Angels souls are getting older, I help them to their place in the sky where they become stars."

"I didn't know there was a Division that did that!" Natsu exclaimed, "That's…nothing short of amazing."

Layla nodded, "It's very satisfying."

There was another silence. Natsu was overwhelmed with questions he wanted to ask her, but he was still shy. He loved her daughter. What would she think of that?

As if she was reading his mind, Layla opened her mouth to speak again, "I told you before I have a confession to make to you."

Natsu nodded.

"I was the one who blew the whistle on your relationship," Layla stated, "I keep watch over Lucy as often as I can. I was not happy when I learned the _Angel of Oops_ had been assigned to try to find my daughter happiness…and I spent a lot of time watching you closely. I was mortified when you started getting closer. _I_ was the one who informed Heaven about your relationship."

Natsu nodded. He didn't feel any anger toward that statement. She was being a loving mother and he could see why her daughter being with the _Angel of Oops_ would cause alarm to her.

"I went to Mavis herself," Layla continued, "And she immediately deployed Crime Sorciere to intervene…partially because the whole situation was getting so dangerous…partially because I wanted someone there to monitor what was happening between you and my daughter."

Somehow, this new information didn't really shock Natsu either. He had thought it was odd from the get-go that Crime Sorciere would intervene simply on the knowledge that Gajeel had picked up about Lucy and Levy's issues. Then again, how was it that Gajeel just _happened_ to work in the same library as Levy and take such an interest in her?

"I want you to know, Natsu," Layla said softly, "that as events unfolded and the imminent danger presented itself, _that's_ what changed my mind about you. It wasn't the court events. It was how you guarded Lucy with your entire being…went after her when Dan took her…dove after Dan to save his miserable life, even after the pain he'd caused. _That_ is what changed my mind about you. You really do love her, don't you?"

Natsu nodded, "With every fibre of my being."

"My blessing doesn't mean much," Layla said, her eyes filling with tears, "I'm just Lucy's dead mother…and in a lot of ways the cause of all of Lucy's problems…but Natsu…I hope you go back to Earthland and have an amazing life with my daughter. I hope that as I check in on you over the next few years, your lives will be filled with love and laughter…and a dozen children."

Natsu beamed, " _Two_ dozen!"

She laughed.

His eyes turned serious, "I will love her forever, Layla. I promise. She's the reason I want to wake up every day. I'll take care of her…and I'll cherish her."

She nodded, squeezing his hand one last time, "I know you will, Natsu."

Natsu felt a tear run down his face, "And your blessing means a lot to me, Layla. More than you know."

She smiled, standing up and squeezing his hand gently. She made her way down the isles to the exit. She paused at the doorway, turning to give one last wave, then left him alone in the room.

Moments later, the doors flew open again and Levy bounded in.

"C'mon Natsu! Fairy Tail is ready for you! We're going to celebrate!"

Natsu got up from his seat, promising himself more time to reflect. Right now, he needed to go spend time with his friends.

* * *

Dan Straight was lead down the hall in hand cuffs to a small white room with no windows. It was empty except for a table and two chairs. Dan sat in one of the chairs and waited patiently as the door closed behind the security guard. Moments later, the door opened again and Samuel Zentopia was pushed inside.

"You have 5 minutes," the security guard told them. He didn't leave the room.

Realizing they would not be left unsupervised, Dan got right to the point.

"It surprised me that you gave yourself up."

"There wasn't a lot of choice at the time," Samuel grunted, "The plane was going to crash. Luckily, Kyoka managed to get control at the last minute and was able to land it."

Dan nodded. There was something inkling at the back of his brain. He knew that wasn't the whole truth, but he couldn't place the missing details.

"I want to be brothers," Dan stated flatly, "We've both been abandoned by Porla. We both lost our right to be out in society. But that doesn't mean we can't find a way to make that connection as brothers."

Samuel chuckled, glancing at the guard, who looked straight ahead, completely emotionless.

"Why would you want that?" Samuel asked finally, "I was nothing but shitty to you. And it's not like we're going to be able to spend Christmases together or anything."

"No," Dan said slowly, "But we could start by writing letters...let each other how our progress in treatment is going. Maybe they'd allow us visitation sometimes."

Samuel regarded Dan for several moments. There was a wide age gap between them. Dan was right in the way that neither of them had anyone anymore. Kyoka, Ezel and Jackal had been transferred to different prisons. Porla had hung up on Samuel when he'd tried to call him. He doubted Kari would give Dan the time of day anymore either.

"Maybe we could start as friends," Samuel said slowly, "I'm not sure I'm ready to be all brotherly."

"That's all I'm asking," Dan stated, a small smile on his face.

Samuel nodded.

"Time's up!" the guard announced, grabbing Samuel by the shoulder and lugging him to his feet.

"Hands off, asshole! I'm not fighting you! I'm coming!" Samuel snapped.

He stood to his feet and allowed the guard to guide him for the door.

"Dan!" he said, turning around and glancing at Dan one last time.

Dan looked up, their eyes meeting.

"Be good, okay?" Samuel didn't make eye contact with him. He was already embarrassed enough. He was not a man who showed affection easily.

Dan nodded. The guard pushed Samuel out the door, leaving Dan to sigh with relief. He supposed that was Samuel's first attempt at older-brotherly advice. He was thankful for it. Maybe there was hope after all.

* * *

Sting sat in his seat, twitching nervously. At Rogue's insistence, he was at Rogue and Laki's house. Yukino was helping Laki get the dinnerware to the table. Rogue was carving the roast.

He didn't like this feeling. His palms were sweaty and he was fidgety. Sting was known to be a composed man. He could stare mafia bosses in the face and not bat an eye. It baffled him why a dinner with friends would make him act like this.

Rogue leaned forward, placing a small piece of roast in Laki's mouth.

She giggled when he blushed as she nipped his fingers, chewing it and swallowing it before announcing, "It's good!"

 _That was why_. Rogue had told him he and Laki were starting to date.

This dinner was set up under the pretences that it was a celebration of their latest victory over crime. And yet, none of the other officers were there like Sting had expected. Yukino was the only other officer invited. Sting smelled a rat…a rat named Rogue.

Rogue brought the roast over to the table and placed it in the centre.

Yukino sat down beside Sting, giving him a smile. Sting cursed under his breath when that smile sent shockwaves through his body.

 _Damn you, Rogue!_

"Gajeel is coming back to work at the precinct," Rogue said, innocently winking at his best friend, "The word became official today! _And_ we're getting a new recruit from the Academy."

"It will be good to have Gajeel on board full-time," Sting acknowledged, "Maybe we'll partner him with the rookie for now until he learns the ropes."

Laki spooned some potatoes onto Rogue's plate, then onto hers before passing them to Yukino.

"It's going to be nice to have life return to normal in Magnolia," Yukino sighed, spooning some potatoes onto her plate. She locked eyes with Laki, who nodded encouragingly to her. Yukino took a deep breath and spooned some potatoes onto Sting's plate as well.

Sting turned red, pulling on his collar slightly, "For sure. I talked to the employees of 8-Island the other day, Laki…I'm really proud of all of you for your decision of what to do with Juvia's money."

Laki's eyes lit up, "It's going to be so awesome! We were all so affected by what happened to Lucy…it bonded us in a way I can't explain. They're willing to send me to school and everything. I've also wanted to be a lawyer for a really long time. I actually have my first year of schooling down already, but I had to quit because I ran out of money for tuition and whatnot. This will be my chance to help victims of various crimes. I love the idea. I'm so thankful that the 8-Island crew asked me to be a part of it!"

Rogue squeezed her hand gently, "I'm proud of you, Laki. It takes a lot of courage to move on after what you all went through."

"I wish I could have known Juvia," Laki sighed, "She sounds like she was a pretty wonderful person."

The others nodded. The entire town was mourning her death. A public funeral had been held two days ago. The story had been released to the media…about associates of Jose Porla who were chasing a young girl and her best friend. Major details were left out, only concluding that the bombs did not kill anyone thanks to the heroic efforts of the Magnolia Police Department. Juvia, however, had gotten caught in the crossfire.

"Does anyone know how Lucy is holding up?" Sting asked Laki. He figured the 8-Island crew may have caught up to her a few times by now.

Laki shook her head sadly, "She turned our offer to join us in creating 'Juvia's', but donated her share of the money directly to the cause. I don't think anyone has seen her since."

"Maybe you should approach her again," Sting suggested, "Maybe she'll change her mind."

Laki nodded, "I think that's a good idea."

Rogue stood up and began to clear dishes, Laki immediately bounding up to help him.

Yukino stood to help, but Laki waved a hand at her, "No, no! You two visit! Rogue and I will just be minute! Then we can play some cards or something!"

Both Laki and Rogue disappeared into the kitchen.

Sting sighed heavily, "We've been set up, Yuki."

She smiled, blushing slightly, "Yeah…I know."

There was an awkward silence as they heard Rogue and Laki banging around in the kitchen. Sting chuckled to himself. He had no idea how making that much noise was supposed to set the tone for getting two people to talk. Rogue was the worst setter-upper ever! Sting would definitely kick his ass tomorrow…definitely.

"Would it be so bad, Sting?" Yukino asked softly, "To have a life outside of your work?"

He turned to face, taking in her pretty features and soft expression. Her ears were tinged red, but he guessed that his were too. He had an inkling that Yukino had liked him for awhile. The truth was, he liked her too. But his work was sometimes dangerous and it took a lot of his time and energy. Was it fair to start something…with _anyone?_ The look on her face right then suggested maybe it was.

"No," Sting answered softly, "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad."

Yukino smiled again, then returned her attention to wiping the table for Laki as she and Rogue finished up in the kitchen.

Rogue stuck a beer in front of his best friend, giving him a suggestive glance as he watched Yukino discuss what card game to play with Laki. Sting realized he was staring. He ripped his eyes away, pretending the beer was hard to uncap. Rogue burst out laughing at his lame attempt.

 _DAMN you, Rogue._

* * *

When Natsu walked into Fairy Tail, he was shocked by the transformation. Gone were the plain white walls with gold trim. Streamers lined the edges of the walls. A large table held all the Earthland treats that Natsu had come to appreciate so much…and…was that a buffet?

 _CONGRATULATIONS NATSU_ said the big banner that hung at the front of the room. His friends were all gathered there, smiles on their faces.

They stared at him, waiting for him to say something. Natsu chastised himself for his lack of words. He couldn't find them for Layla and now he couldn't find them for the Angels he was closest to? What was _wrong_ with him?

"This is amazing!" he squawked out finally, his eyes drifting again to the buffet. Tears started to line his eyes again. He had no clue where all these tears were coming from in the past few days…on Earthland, he would be ridiculously dehydrated by now, "You guys…"

"NO TEARS TONIGHT!" Erza told him in an authoritative voice, "Tonight, we celebrate! And that means _no tears!_ "

"Okay," Natsu promised.

Wendy held up her punch cup, "To Natsu and Lucy!"

"TO NATSU AND LUCY!" the others echoed, drinking up.

"I've got just the thing to loosen you up a bit," Gray grinned, a twinkle in his eyes, "but you can't tell Makarov…he wouldn't approve."

Gray shoved a beer in Natsu's hand. Natsu glanced up, his eyes wide. Was this okay?

Gray made the shhhh! motion, then grabbed Juvia's hand to head for the dessert table.

"Where did he get this?" Natsu mumbled to himself. The music was starting up. Natsu put his beer down on a table, unopened, and went to join his friends at the buffet bar.

"We're very happy for you," Jellal said as he approached Natsu's side, "This was the best possible outcome."

"Thank you," Natsu replied, "For everything. For helping us on Earthland to bring down Samuel and Dan…and for looking after me in that courtroom."

He paused, wondering if he should bring up the fact that he knew Jellal had lead Crime Sorciere to the situation to intervene on Layla and Heaven's behalf, then shook off the idea. Crime Sorciere _had_ come to intervene, but they'd also protected the entire group and helped diffuse the situation. They too knew about Natsu and Lucy's relationship...and they had been loyal throughout anyway. That was proven when they got up to testify at the trial. Maybe some things were better left unsaid. Because when Natsu looked Jellal in the eyes just now, all he saw was a loyal friend.

Jellal caught the gleam in Natsu's eyes, nodding the unspoken agreement. He never called attention to his deeds. He didn't need to be thanked, although he would have accepted the criticism…but for some reason, Natsu's spoken words were touching to him, just as they were. He patted Natsu on the shoulder, then went off to see if Erza would dance with him.

Minerva pulled Erik out of the dance floor, laughing so hard that Natsu wondered if Gray had slipped her a beer too.

"Dance with me?" Levy asked.

Natsu nodded, ignoring the death-glare Gajeel was shooting him. He followed Levy out to the dance floor.

"I'm really happy with the way things turned out," Levy said.

"I am too," Natsu said slowly, "I think."

"I know it's scary," Levy said, her arms around his neck as they swayed to the music, "But this is what you fought for, Natsu…you're _allowed_ to be with Lucy."

He nodded, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat.

"I won't remember you," he choked out.

She shook her head, smiling, "We're not abandoning you, Natsu. You might not remember us, but _we will be there for you_ \- and Lucy - the entire time. We will remember _for_ you."

Natsu tried to swallow his lump again and she twirled underneath his arms.

"I'm cutting in now, _Oops!_ " Gajeel announced, taking Levy's hand and whisking her away.

Natsu backed up to the dessert table. Gajeel shot him a grin as he danced clumsily with Levy.

He also noted Gray and Juvia, dancing so close together that Natsu wasn't sure where one of them ended and the other began. He was happy for Gray. He'd been missing Juvia the entire time he'd known him. Natsu was currently experiencing the pain of missing Lucy…and it had only been days. He could only imagine how Gray must have felt, being away from Juvia that long.

In another corner, Erik was showing Wendy how to flip a bottle cap lid. She was concentrating so hard, it made Natsu chuckle. Jellal was seated in a chair as Erza shared a plate of strawberries with him. Laxus and Mira had arrived. Laxus was helping himself to a heaping plate of food, Mira chastising him for being such a pig. But this time, there was a light in her eyes…she was teasing him. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

"Congratulations, my boy," Makarov said out loud, drawing the attention of everyone, "I could not have been prouder of you today. It pains me to think that you honestly believed you've never been loved, but I hope you feel differently now. These people...the people in this room...We all love you. And I pray that from this day forward, you will know _nothing but love._ "

"Thank you," Natsu teared up as he glanced around the room. All eyes were on him, tears edging in several of their eyes, "for believing in me…I think I thanked every Angel in Heaven today. But I don't know if I've actually thanked all of you...the Angels who stood by this whole situation, working in the backgrounds to change Lucy and Levy's fates. Thank you for standing by us...for teaching me...and for seeing it through to the end with me in that court room."

Natsu paused as the crowd started clapping, giving Natsu appreciative glances as they went back to their activities.

"Thank you, Master," Natsu said sincerely, "Maybe I thought I was alone…but you always believed there was a place for me…didn't you?"

Makarov nodded, patting Natsu's hand, "I believe there's a place for all my children," he acknowledged, "I'm sorry I didn't pay better attention to your feelings."

Natsu tried to smile. His emotions were overrunning him again.

Makarov grinned suddenly, "Mavis must love me! I think that's an unopened beer on that table over there! I haven't had beer in a millennia!"

He bounded off toward Natsu's unopened beer. Natsu chuckled. Even if he couldn't remember them, Natsu knew he would miss his friends. These Angels were amazing.

* * *

"Lucy."

"Lucy – wake up."

Lucy had fallen into an exhausted sleep on the couch of the house she _used_ to share with her best friends. She was tossing and turning, completely uncomfortable on the couch. Even Plue and Happy had given up trying to sleep with her. She was incapable of finding peace, even in her dreams.

Her dreams were tortured. She dreamt about walking down the isle at a church to marry the man she loved. As she got to the end of the isle, the groom turned around…only it was Dan and not Natsu. She screamed and turned on her heel to retreat the way she came, but the crowd turned from her friends into Samuel and his lackeys, Kari heckling her with a snorting laugh.

"Lucy – sweetheart, it's okay! Wake up!"

Lucy looked desperately for the voice that called her. Kari had her by the hair as Kyoka, Jackal, and Ezel closed in on her. She was screaming…

"Lucy!"

Lucy's eyes opened slowly. Her heart still thumped from her nightmare as she slowly sat up, then realized she was alone in the living room of the large house.

"You're okay," the voice said softly. Golden light warmed the space beside her as Mavis appeared.

"Mavis!" Lucy let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding, embracing the girl immediately.

"You're okay," Mavis repeated, a gentle smile reassuring Lucy as she backed out of the hug. She continued to hold Lucy's hands.

Lucy's eyes widened, realizing that if Mavis was appearing before her, something had happened.

"We did it," Mavis said softly, her eyes lit as she delivered the news, "We instituted the _Angel of Oops Clause."_

Lucy was stunned, unsure of what to say. That meant so many things. It meant she had to say goodbye to Gray and Erza and probably Levy (although she suspected there was a chance Levy would remain near her) and all of Crime Sorciere. They meant so much to her. But she would get to be with Natsu.

"I'm here to tell you what happens next," the sparkle in Mavis's eyes comforted Lucy somewhat. She was so excited about this…it made Lucy believe that everything would be okay afterall.

Lucy nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. Plue came out of the kitchen, sitting at Lucy's feet, greeting Mavis with a quick nose to her hand. Happy lost no time in curling up on Mavis's lap.

"Preparations are underway in Heaven," Mavis told her, "The new Clause is being added to the Book as we speak. Tomorrow, a group of Angels will come here to start preparing Earthland. We'll be moving you out of this house and back to the apartment building you were in before. The apartment next door also be rented to Heaven…for Levy and Gajeel."

"Levy and Gajeel!" Lucy said in shock, "Isn't Levy going to live with me? Isn't she my Guardian Angel anymore?"

Mavis nodded, "But it's been decided that in order to help you and Natsu gravitate together, Natsu needs a Guardian Angel as well. Gajeel has served in Crime Sorciere for a lot of years. His relationship with Levy is starting to get deeper now…and for the first time since he passed away, Gajeel wants something for himself. He's always been so satisfied with Crime Sorciere. Now he's ready for another assignment…one that will allow him to work closely with Levy. It was never a question for Levy. As far as she's concerned, she'll be your Angel until you join us in Heaven."

"But where will Natsu stay?" Lucy exclaimed.

"With Gajeel in his house…but if things go the way we're going to try to get them to go…eventually, he'll move in with you," Mavis said.

Lucy felt hot tears come to her eyes, "We're going to be together."

Mavis nodded as Lucy threw herself into her arms.

"We're going to be together!"

Mavis squeezed her, loving Lucy's reaction. It couldn't have been easy to sit and wait.

"H-How does it work?" Lucy asked, "The erasing of the memories? Will it hurt?"

Mavis shook her head, "I'm going to put you to sleep. When you wake up, it will all be done."

"And how long will it be until I see Natsu? Will I get a chance to say goodbye to him? What about the other Angels?" Lucy's thoughts were overlapping. Suddenly, everything was overwhelming.

"Your friends are having a party in Heaven right now," Mavis informed her, "Very soon, I'll open the door long enough for you to say your good-byes."

"I miss him!" Lucy blurted out, "I really, _really_ need to see him."

"I know," Mavis smiled, "So go clean yourself up. You look like hell."

Lucy laughed, then bounded for the shower, moving so quickly that Happy jumped at the sudden movement, falling off Mavis's lap. Mavis giggled as he shot a glance toward the door Lucy had just disappeared through and re-claimed his position on her lap.

"Don't be too hard on her. She's just excited because Natsu is finally coming home. He's coming home to you too, Happy," Mavis promised, "Only a day or two away now."

Happy began to purr, rubbing himself against her hand.

"Yes I know," she told the kitten, "It's the happy ending I was hoping for too."

* * *

20 minutes later, Lucy re-emerged in a pink cotton dress. Her hair was still wet, but the anxiousness on her face showed that she really didn't care. She just wanted to see Natsu.

"I put Happy and Plue in my bedroom," she announced, "If Angels are going to appear through a revolving door, it might be best if they're out of the way."

Mavis chuckled, "We're going to do this a little at a time…to give you a chance to say your goodbyes properly. Natsu will be last."

Lucy nodded. She felt the bittersweet slam of reality hit her. She would get to be with Natsu...but the price was grave...she would say goodbye to her friends and all her current memories of the man she loved. Honestly, she imagined this would ultimately be easier for her than Natsu. Most of her memories that would be erased were recent. She was only losing anything she remembered about Angels...and Natsu. Natsu was losing his entire existence.

She wondered how the rescue would differ in her mind. Would their special park spark something nostalgic when walks through it? She forced herself to stop thinking. Mavis was opening the door.

It lit up in the middle of the living room. Seconds later, Gray and Juvia walked in, hand in hand. There were no words spoken at first as they both went to embrace Lucy. The tears flowed freely between all three of them.

Mavis stood back, admiring the scene. She closed the front curtains…just in case anyone from the street could see in.

"Juvia…" Lucy whispered, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Juvia pulled back to look at Lucy, smoothing her hair from her face, "I'm okay, Lucy," she gestured to Gray, "See? It _was_ the same Gray! And it's because of you that we're together again. Don't feel bad about this anymore. A lot of good is going to happen from the sad circumstances."

"More than you know!" Lucy gushed, "8-Island…they received your gift. They have plans on what to do with your money…you'd be so proud, Juvia. They're going to make a safe house for people like me...people who are running from something and need a safe place to be. They're all going back to school to get the credentials to make it a reality. They're taking law courses and policing courses…and counselling courses. The front end will be a restaurant named after you. They loved you so much, Juvia."

Juvia _was_ proud and her face showed it, "And I love them. And you. Be a part of it, Lucy. That money was meant for you too."

Lucy nodded solemnly.

Gray cut in at that point. Mavis was pointing to her watch-hand, indicating their time was almost up. He gathered her into his arms for another hug.

"Lucy," he whispered into her ear, "I couldn't be more proud of you…when I heard how you fought all by yourself in that clearing…you're special and I'm really glad you're going to get your chance to be with Natsu. Everyone is talking about how he brought you out of the shell, but the truth is, you did that for him too. You helped him to realize that he's pretty amazing himself. Look after him, Lucy."

"You too," Lucy whispered back, her voice shaking with unshed tears, "Look after Juvia."

"We'll be watching," Gray promised, smoothing her tears off her face with his hands, "You might not see us, but we'll be watching. We all love you, Lucy."

Juvia grinned mischievously, "Why, Lucy! _Please_ don't tell me I have a love rival!"

Both Gray and Lucy laughed.

"You are so loved, Lucy," Gray whispered into her hair, taking her back in for another hug, "I wish you could've seen him fight for you at trial. He loves you so much."

Lucy nodded into his shoulder, sniffing slightly. Gray pulled away, squeezing her hand lightly as he rejoined his other hand with Juvia and walked through the door.

They were finally together, Lucy lamented. Juvia looked radiant. Heaven agreed with her. And Gray. She'd seen him smile before, but now he looked like he'd found the missing part of his soul.

Lucy tried to see through the door. She was curious about what Heaven looked like. But all she could see was the luminescent light.

The door lit up again. This time, it was Levy and Gajeel who came through.

The girls immediately grabbed onto each other, bursting into tears as they checked each other over.

"You're okay!" Levy gushed.

"So are you!" Lucy gushed back.

"It's finally over," Levy said, taking Lucy over to sit on the couch, "There's so much I wanted to say to you, but I don't have a lot of time. Heaven agreed to a 15 minute period for you to say goodbye to us. And you still have to say goodbye to Erza and to Natsu. So I'm going to make this as quick as I can."

Lucy nodded, noticing Gajeel sat behind Levy and placed a hand on her shoulder for support.

"I love you, Lucy," Levy started, "You're my best friend. And I hate that we spent the last few years running. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better. I'm sorry I lied to you about who I am…"

"Levy," Lucy interrupted, lifting her chin and forcing Levy to look at her, "I never blamed you. It's because of you that I survived as long as I did. I would like to know your story one day…maybe we'll have time tomorrow since you'll be with me when I go to sleep. But I never blamed you for not protecting me...you are my rock and I love you too. So much."

"You're going to have a good life," Levy promised, "And Gajeel and I will continue to watch over you and Natsu. I hate that you won't remember us as Angels, but you'll remember that we've always been best friends."

Lucy nodded.

Gajeel reached his hand over Levy's shoulder and placed it on Lucy's shoulder. He looked like he had something really important to say…he was just finding the words. So she waited.

"You stole my car!" he exclaimed, "Then you wrapped it around a tree!"

Lucy's eyes widened. She'd forgotten about that.

"Oops?" Lucy offered, a feeble smile on her face, "I'm really sorry about that, Gajeel."

Levy slapped him playfully on the arm, "Gajeel! Don't tease her!"

Gajeel let out a "Gihihi" before his face turned serious again.

"I don't deal well with emotional crap…so I'm just gonna say this: You did good, kid. You're going to be fine."

"Thank you," Lucy whispered.

She knew Gajeel was a man of few words, so it shouldn't have surprised her when he got up, pulling Levy to her feet and toward the door.

"I'll be here tomorrow night when you go to sleep tomorrow," Levy told her.

Lucy nodded again and the two disappeared through the door.

Erza wasted no time, probably passing Levy and Gajeel in the doorway at some point.

She hugged Lucy tightly.

"You're like a little sister to me," Erza said softly, "Thank you. Thank you for accepting me as part of your group. It's not always been easy for me to make friends. People tend to be scared of me…although I really can't figure out why."

Lucy nodded.

"I'm going to go. I want you to have time with Natsu," Erza hugged her tighter, "We'll all be watching you."

Lucy's tears started up again as the older woman headed for the door. She could see Erza was fighting tears. She was struggling with saying goodbye...

"Erza!" she screamed at the last second, running to her. Lucy slammed into her back, tears streaming down her face.

Erza turned, confused.

"You helped me too," Lucy told her, "You believed in us and what we were trying to do. I know Heaven saw it as a breach when you didn't tell on us…but I want you to know, you're like a sister to me too. Thank you."

Erza teared up, returning the hug firmly.

"Be good to each other," she said softly as walked through the door.

Lucy sat back, knowing the next Angel through the door would be Natsu. Mavis smiled encouragingly at her, then disappeared into the kitchen. They would only have a few minutes…their last few minutes with this set of memories.

The door lit up. Lucy was in Natsu's arms before he was fully through the door, their lips locked into a passionate kiss.

"I missed you," she whispered between anxious and desperate kisses.

"I missed _you_ ," he ran his hands over her arms, "Are you okay?"

"No," Lucy admitted as he guided her to the couch, lowering her down to the cushions, "But I _will be_."

"We did it," he whispered, still peppering her face with kisses, "We defied Heaven."

"Yeah," she replied, leaning her head back as he kissed her neck.

"You're sure you want to do this?" he asked, pulling back slightly to look at her face.

She sat up straight, looking deep into his eyes.

"I'm sure," she replied, "I told you before…I'll do anything to be with you. Losing a part of my life is scary, but not as scary as facing eternity without you."

He placed his forehead on hers, basking in the feeling of having her in his arms, "I love you, Luce."

"I wish you didn't have to go," Lucy sighed, "I just want to be in your arms tonight. I wish they could just erase our memories right now and let us wake up together."

"I guess this is the test...if we find our way back to each other, Heaven will know it's true - we belong together," Natsu stroked her hair gently, pulling her into his side.

"I know," Lucy whispered.

Mavis coughed loudly two or three times before entering the living room, giving Natsu and Lucy ample time to stop caressing each other.

"So tomorrow night?" Natsu asked.

Mavis nodded, "We'll move Lucy back to the apartment tomorrow. Levy will come back then and be with Lucy when she falls asleep. When you wake up, you'll be with Gajeel."

"Thank you, Mavis," Natsu said, wrapping an arm around Lucy.

Mavis smiled, sadness hiding behind her eyes. Lucy recognized it, thinking back to the story Mavis told her.

"You have to go now," Mavis said, "Our time is up and we don't want to risk the Council's anger by going overtime."

Natsu nodded, pulling Lucy into a deep, passionate kiss.

"I'll find you," he promised as he headed for the door.

"I'll be waiting to be found," Lucy replied.

He turned, walking backwards through the door so he could maintain eye contact with her for as long as possible.

"I love you," they both said at the same time.

His image disappeared and the door dissipated. Lucy stared at the place where the door had been for several minutes, her eyes misting.

"How do you feel?" Mavis asked.

"Terrified. Happy. But mostly anxious," Lucy replied, releasing the tears. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, "I'm anxious to start my new life."

Mavis smiled as Lucy stood up.

"I'm going to let Plue and Happy out of the bedroom now."

Mavis nodded. "I'll go back to Heaven for the night. Are you okay alone?"

Lucy nodded, "Yeah. I'll be fine. I need some time to process everything."

Mavis could understand that. She knew Lucy really needed some time alone now. Tomorrow would be her last day with her current memories. She had a lot to think about.

"Mavis?" Lucy asked, pausing for a moment, "This thing that you're doing with us…this is the power your human friend tried to abuse, isn't it? You're literally bringing Natsu back from the dead."

Mavis nodded, "He knew I had _abilities_ and that I could do a lot of things that couldn't be explained, but I never told him about Fairy Law. I think he had ideas that I was capable of performing something like it. He lost his family in a fire. His little brother survived for small while, but he was never well again. The brother died in his arms. It was pure irony that his own life ended in a fiery blaze as well. He…wasn't always bad though. Even his demented experiments starting out with good intentions. He just wanted his family back."

"I'm sure he wasn't always bad," Lucy agreed sympathetically, "It's hard to lose people you love and not know what's on the other side of death. He got lost in his fantasies and thought he might be able to use you to make his experiments a reality."

"Yes," Mavis agreed, "Luckily, he never found out for sure about Fairy Law…or my story might have had a different ending. I told Natsu earlier today and I'll tell you now…thank you. Your story has given me new life too. I can finally let my past go. Maybe I can become more active in Heaven again, now that I can finally forgive myself."

Lucy swallowed her tears, willing herself not to cry anymore.

Mavis smiled as her body lit up to transfer back to Heaven, "Try to sleep tonight," she told Lucy, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Lucy nodded as the flash of light left the room completely empty.

Lucy sighed heavily. She knew she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon, so she went to her room. Plue and Happy were more than happy that the door was open again. She sat at her desk and pulled out a writing pad and a pen and began to write.

 _She was born into a rich family, appearing to all to have the perfect life. She had a loving mother and a successful father. She seemed to have it all…_

 _But there were circumstances that nobody else saw…circumstances involving tyranny and blackmail…circumstances that would ultimately leave the little girl without a mother and running from her father...and locked in a heated battle with Heaven over being with the love of her life. This is her story…_


	62. Chapter 62

Lucy did sleep for some reason. It was the first time in days that she'd slept without nightmares. She was thankful for it, but she was also pressed for time.

She spent a good portion of the night writing her story down on paper. She started with the deceit in Jude and Layla's marriage, moving on to her father's war with Jose Porla. She then went into detail about the times when she and Levy were running. She must have fallen asleep at some point. She was completely unclear when she had moved to her bed.

She wondered briefly if she'd had Angelic intervention there: first to move her to her bed, then to give her sleep without nightmares. It would not surprise her. Somehow, she felt comforted by the idea.

But she couldn't dwell on that thought…she had a lot to do today…starting with tracking down her 8-Island friends.

She showered and dressed, rather disgusted with herself as she realized just how dirty she'd allowed herself to get over the past few days. The pile of clothes on her bedroom floor was gross. She threw a load of laundry into the washer and then gathered her notebooks, including the one she'd been writing in all night. Putting together a satchel to take with her, she glanced around her room to make sure she had everything she wanted to keep. The Angels that were coming to move her today would also remove any traces of Angelic presence from the house.

Her fingers automatically went to the necklace around her neck. It was her new source of comfort since she didn't have the keys anymore. Her eyes widened as she raced downstairs to Natsu's room, glancing desperately over his room.

She found the snow globe beside his bed. She picked it up, gently shaking it to watch the glitter flow around the Angel and the dragon. Slipping it into her satchel, she tried to think of what else she would want. There didn't seem to be anything. She had what was near and dear to her heart.

The Angels who would help her move arrived at 9:00, just like Mavis said they would.

"You don't have to stay, Miss," a brawny Angel told her, "We'll get you all moved. Just go to the apartment tonight by 6:00."

"Thank you," Lucy said, bowing to the Angel team, "Um…I'm pretty sure Happy will let you move him, but should I perhaps take my dog?"

Plue didn't need to be asked twice, bounding beside her feet. She grabbed a leash, laughing.

"Alright Plue…let's go."

* * *

Natsu woke up slowly, not realizing at first where he was. He remembered the party going on, late into the night, even after everyone had had a chance to say goodbye to Lucy.

He didn't recognize the room he was in. Of course, he hadn't slept in Heaven for a very long time. He didn't actually have a place to call home, so he could be just about anywhere.

"Good morning!" Mira sing-songed, knocking on the door before she opened it.

"Mira," Natsu greeted, "I didn't realize where I was at first."

"You haven't been here before," Mira stated, "When the party was winding down, you were already half-asleep. Elfman carried you here."

"How do I not remember that?" Natsu asked, holding his head. He had a slight headache.

She leaned forward, whispering as if someone were listening, "I think Makarov spiked the punch. Or if he didn't, he knew who did. He was giggling _awfully_ hard in his corner!"

Natsu rolled his eyes, stifling a laugh. Obviously, he hadn't had too much punch. It was only a slight headache. Mira already had a bottle of water and a couple aspirin for him.

"Whoever did it was kind enough to provide remedy," Mira stated, "These were found in plentiful supply on the same table as the punch later in the evening. Things got a little…wild after awhile. I'm sure Fairy Tail will be talking about _that_ party for a little while."

Natsu nodded, remembering bits of pieces. Gajeel had broken out his guitar again, but at the begging of his peers after about the 4th song, he agreed to just play guitar while Minerva sang, throwing in the odd _shooby do wa_. At one point, the entire group was singing, but it wasn't the gorgeous, harmonious music Heaven was accustomed to…it was boisterous and possibly a bit crude. Still, Natsu couldn't remember ever laughing that hard. After that, they'd done some limbo and karaoke. Natsu remembered having a great time, but the details were sketchy.

"You have briefing today," Mira told him, "We're going to prepare you for your new role."

"What will my new job be?" Natsu asked.

Mira smiled, "We thought you'd make a really good cop."

Natsu raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Well, yeah…you did a great job with Dan, talking him down like you did," Mira handed him some fresh Angel garb, turning to leave the room so he could dress, "And if Gajeel is going to be your Guardian Angel, you need to work somewhere he can keep an eye on you."

"Gajeel is going to be my Guardian?" Natsu asked in shock. When he thought about it though, it kind of made sense. He wanted to be close to Levy. Of course, that meant he was leaving Crime Sorciere. That thought kind of made Natsu sad. He liked how well Gajeel fit in with his peers at Crime Sorciere. He was an integral part of the team.

Mira smiled, but didn't answer him as she shut the door behind her. Natsu had a busy day ahead of him.

* * *

Lucy was sitting at a table outside a coffee shop with the 8-Island crew, including Laki, who had just showed up with Rogue.

"I'd like to reconsider your offer," she said solemnly, "I…was finding it hard to believe that all of you would forgive me after everything you went though, all because I was hired at 8-Island. I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I want to help, if you'll still have me."

The 8-Island crew glanced at each other, their eyes lighting up.

" _Of course_ we still want you to work with us!" Lisanna exclaimed, throwing her arms around Lucy, "Only a victim can identify with other victims. You'll do a lot of good!"

"What side would you like to work on?" Virgo asked, "You can work on the restaurant side and be a waitress again or you can work on the other side and be a social worker…what do you want?"

Lucy glanced down at her satchel, then back up at her friends, "I want to write their stories."

"Write their stories?" Cana repeated.

Lucy took out her notebook – the one that kept mention of Angelic intervention _out_ of it – and passed it to Kinana.

"This is really good," Kinana said slowly, "It's expressive. It shows how you've dealt with your anguish and your pain throughout your ordeal without resorting to bad habits like drugs or alcohol. It's like a healing exercise."

"And it will be a testimony to other victims, I hope," Lucy added, "I want to publish a magazine column. I'm sure there will be a magazine who will publish it…it would chronicle people's lives on the run and how to get help for it. Women – and men in some cases – will be able to identify with different forms of torment. Like mental abuse. Or drug use. I don't have experience in drug use, but maybe another victim will. We can empower our clients to help each other while reaching out to those who haven't asked for help yet. On top of that, maybe I could help build our resource library at the centre."

"That's brilliant," Loke said.

"Have you thought about what you're going to call the centre yet?" Lucy asked, "I mean, I know the restaurant will be called 'Juvia's'…but what will you call your centre?"

" _Our_ centre doesn't have a name yet," Laki said, making sure Lucy knew she was included in it too.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Lucy asked.

Everyone leaned toward her, their ears perked for listening.

* * *

Natsu's head was spinning as he used Levy's speed reading glasses to pour through books on law and policing. He'd been at it for 2 hours, reading a total of 6 text books. That was _after_ he'd spent four hours learning advanced martial arts this morning. He was taught how to take a criminal down using only his hands, using Elfman as his subject. Elfman was much larger than Natsu and he threw Natsu around like a rag doll. It took a few tries for Natsu to learn to stand on his own two feet. The best strategy to beating someone so much larger than him was to outsmart him. It took a few tries to nail the technique, but nail it he did. Soon, Elfman was going down almost every time he and Natsu sparred. Natsu realized that he really enjoyed sparring.

Elfman had spent the entire morning with Natsu, pushing him harder and harder. Natsu began to wonder if he was training to be a cop or a military SEAL. His body ached from the multiple beatings he took, despite his multiple successes.

"Most cops don't learn their job in one day," Mira said apologetically, coming into the room to check on him, "But the Doover is set for tonight. You'll have to learn the rest on the job."

"I think it'll be okay," Natsu glanced at the 3 textbooks he still had to get through, "Mavis did something to my brain this morning to help me absorb it all. She swears it'll all be there when I wake up without my current memories."

"Well, get through those text books," Mira said, "Next, you have another session with Mavis. She's going to ask you what kind of childhood you want."

Natsu sighed, his mind drifting off to his beautiful blonde Lucy. He wondered how she was doing. What was she doing? Was she as anxious as he was? He couldn't wait to be with her again. The sooner, the better.

* * *

Lucy was sitting at the coffee shop, trying to continue the story she'd started on the previous night. She wanted to get as much as it down as she could while she still had her memory. It would be the only record of the events that had happened over the course of her life with the Angelic interference.

Tomorrow, she would remember running from Dan and all the basic details, but she wouldn't remember that Levy was her Guardian. She wouldn't remember Erza or Gray's involvement. In fact, she doubted she'd see them again until it was time for her to go to Heaven. She would remember Juvia at the restaurant and that she'd died during the events of the past weeks, but she wouldn't remember Juvia the Angel, who finally got to be with her man. Worst of all, she wouldn't remember Natsu. The details of falling off the cliff would be wiped clean. She wasn't sure what she was trying to accomplish by getting it down on paper, but she felt the overwhelming urge to complete it as best as she could.

It was like therapy for her...getting it all written out organized her thoughts, helped her to reflect, and made her realize how badly she really wanted to be with Natsu. It would be worth it to give up her memories. As much as she loved all of the Angels, she loved Natsu so deeply that she would have given up all of her memories instead of a tiny portion if that's what it took to be with him.

The rest of 8-Island had moved on now, happy that she would join them in their ventures. It was a dream for the next 5 years, since everyone had to go get their training first, but the restaurant would be built now, hopefully completed within the next 6 months. The building that would house 'Fairy Tail' would be build at the same time, but would remain unoccupied until the actual business could get off the ground.

At first, the 8-Island crew was unclear about the name 'Fairy Tail'. It sounded more like a place that children would go to play video games. But Lucy was enamoured with the idea of naming the place that handed out Doovers to victims on Earthland after the place that ultimately made sure she and Natsu got their Doover in Heaven.

Of course, she couldn't explain it that way to the 8-Island crew. Instead, she explained that Fairy Tail's come true. A person does not have to remain a victim. They can be free of the life that terrorized them. When asked about the spelling of 'Tail', Lucy explained it as an alternate ending…an alternate change to the story of their lives. The others glanced at each other, agreeing to mark it as the possible name of their new facility.

Laki, already having a year of the lawyer training under her belt, would graduate first. The social work courses might take a little longer, but Lisanna was bound and determined she would study hard and get her Social Work degree quickly. Loke and Virgo weren't worried about their police enforcement courses either. They were both stoked to get started.

She felt peace about the whole thing. This was where she belonged…helping people...with people who also wanted to help others by her side. Mavis had said Natsu would come back trained as a cop. Maybe he would consider getting hired at Fairy Tail too.

Finally, she wrote about Natsu and her love for him. She wrote about how he broke her barriers and made her laugh again...about how he eased her pain and got her to see life as an adventure again. She wrote about their first kiss and their first time at the hotel in Crocus, sparing no details. She wanted it all down, even if nobody but her ever read it. It would be the only record of _everything_ that had happened.

She finished writing her paragraph, noting the time. It was almost 6:00 – time to return to her new apartment. She packed her things away in the satchel, pausing to run her hand over the snowglobe again.

It was almost time.

* * *

"Do you know who my parents are?" Natsu asked Mavis.

She was giving him a sanity break. After hours of cramming theory into his head, Natsu was pretty sure his head would explode (although he now knew that was a literal impossibility).

They had been going over the details of what Natsu's memories would be. She seemed to know a little bit about the kinds of memories he'd like to implant into his memory…trips to the park with both parents…maybe preschool memories and the odd memory of elementary middle and high school. She said that they could make it so he had some sort of accident as a teenager and that's why he doesn't remember everything about his early life.

Mavis glanced at him briefly, then returned her eyes to the paper in front of her.

"Yes," she said softly, "I knew them."

He stared at her expectantly.

"Your parents were not bad people," Mavis said softly, "I don't think they would have abandoned you if they had lived."

Natsu kept starting at her, silently begging her for details about his real parents. Tomorrow, he wouldn't remember anyway.

"They died in a fire," Mavis said softly. She saw no reason to go on. She didn't want to tell him the gruesome facts surrounding their deaths. He didn't need to know he had a brother that looked after him, but failed to provide for him. One day, he'd left Natsu to scrounge for food when _it_ happened. He tried for years to revive Natsu's lifeless body. No. He didn't need to know that.

"Are they here in Heaven?" Natsu asked.

She nodded, "Or at least they were. Since then, their souls got tired. They've taken their place in the stars now."

He nodded, remembering his conversation with Layla the day before.

"Did they know about me? That I was in Heaven too? That I was the _Angel of Oops?_ "

Mavis paused before answering, "No. Heaven didn't make the connection until it was too late. You came to us as an orphan. We didn't know who your parents were."

Natsu nodded again, looking down at his fingers, "So the memories I'll have starting tomorrow…will they be of my real parents? Will you laugh at me if I ask you to give me memories of being cuddled?"

Mavis paused again, "No, Natsu. I won't laugh at all. I will make sure you know you were very loved. I can do that for you."

He smiled at her slightly, "Thank you. I'll appreciate that."

Mavis felt a twinge of guilt run through her for telling him only part of the truth, but she also felt the need to protect him. It was unfair for him to have to deal with all the horrific events related to his family's past. Not when he'd lose all his memories tonight when he went to sleep. Natsu deserved the peace that feeling loved would give him.

"Mavis?" Natsu asked, noting how lost in her own little world she was.

She glanced at him.

"Do you think they would have been proud of me?" he asked.

She nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder and smiling warmly, "Undoubtedly, Natsu...undoubtedly."

* * *

Erza entered the room behind Jellal and Minerva slowly and hesitantly. It had seemed like a good idea at the time she said she'd go, but now that she was here, anxiety crept into her thoughts.

"Come," Minerva beckoned, reaching out her hand, "We don't bother with the staff here. We just approach her and talk to her like she's a normal person."

Erza took her hand, thankful for the support as they approached Ultear.

She sat in a motorized wheelchair, facing out the window. Her head was tilted and her eyes were open, but Erza could tell right away, she didn't register anything she saw out of her eyes. She was pale and thin. An IV line came out of her hand. Erza guessed this is how she was fed because she was far too unresponsive to be fed by human hands.

"Just talk to her," Minerva urged, "I'll go first."

"Hi Ultear...it's Minerva," Minerva sat in front of her sister, taking both of her hands, smiling gently, "I've brought Jellal again today."

"Hi Ultear!" Jellal greeted, sitting beside Minerva, "I hope you're feeling well today."

"We brought someone else today too, Ultear," Minerva said softly, "She's not ready to speak to you yet, so she'll come say hi when she's ready."

Ultear didn't move. She stared out the window, just as she'd done all along.

"We got some new members this week," Minerva told her, "We've welcomed Gray, Juvia, Sorano, and Erza to Crime Sorciere. Do you remember we talked about Crime Sorciere, Ultear? We brought down some major criminals this week. I think you'd be very proud of us. It wasn't an easy fight. And yes - It's the same Erza you're thinking about."

There was still no response from Ultear.

Erza moved around into her line of vision slowly, running a hand through her own hair, "Hi Ultear. Do you remember me? It's Erza."

Jellal and Minerva moved aside a bit to give Erza room.

Erza reached for Ultear's hands as Minerva let them go, "I came to say I'm sorry."

She paused. A part of her wondered if Ultear could comprehend someone was speaking to her at all. There was no movement. She seemed to be oblivious to everything.

"I'm _sorry_ , Ultear," she whispered, "I'm sorry you're so tortured. It wasn't your fault that you were driving the boat. It wasn't Minerva or Jellal's fault either. I know you never wanted anything bad to happen. We were kids...and kids do stupid things."

She paused, looking for some, any sign that Ultear could hear her.

"The point is," she continued, "I don't want you to blame yourself anymore for my death. And please don't blame Minerva or Jellal either. I've forgiven them both as well. It was just unfortunate, Ultear. The whole thing was just unfortunate. We can't change that now. But what we _can_ do is forgive each other and move on."

Tears came to her eyes as she squeezed Ultear's hand, "That's what I came to say, Ultear. I'll come and see you again with Jellal and Minerva. Concentrate on getting better now. There is no reason for you to hold on to your guilt or your anger anymore."

She stood up, kissing Ultear's forehead and moved out of the way so that Jellal and Minerva could do the same.

"We'll be back again, Sister," Minerva promised.

"Are you okay?" Jellal asked Erza, gently squeezing her hand as they walked toward the door. Her tears flowed freely as she squeezed his hand back.

"I think that might have been therapeutic for both of us," Erza replied, casting Minerva a grateful look for agreeing to bring her to see Ultear.

They exited the building. It was time to go help Natsu and Lucy through their transition. But they would be back again to see Ultear another day.

* * *

By the window, a care aide came to check on Ultear. Her eyes widened as she backed up and started screaming.

"DOCTOR PORLYUSICA!" she screamed, "DOCTOR PORLYUSICA! PLEASE! COME QUICK!"

Dr. Porlyusica dashed from where she was speaking with another patient, followed by several of the staff. They all gathered around Ultear, placing comforting hands on her shoulders as they noticed it...

It was the only sign of life she'd shown in years. Dr. Porlyusica had diagnosed her as chronically depressed years and years ago. She knew 'the lights were on upstairs', but she figured that Ultear had simply lost all hope for living.

She gasped as she bent down beside Ultear, grabbing both of her hands.

Tears flooded Porlyusica's eyes as she realized the magnitude of what had just happened. But she had to make sure it wasn't a coincidence.

"Ultear!" Porlyusica gushed, "Can you blink for me? Can you tell me that you can hear my voice?"

Ultear was completely still for a moment, but then she blinked, sending a second tear to follow the first tear that streamed down her face. It had been the first tear that had excited the care aide so much.

Porlyusica fell to her knees, sending a silent prayer of thanks to the Heavens above.

* * *

Natsu gulped nervously as friends started to arrive at Fairy Tail.

That meant time was up...it was time to say goodbye.

"It'll be okay," Mira promised, "You're aren't going into this alone."

Natsu nodded, putting his brave face on. A comfortable bed was set up for him to go to sleep in. When he woke up, he'd be in Gajeel's house with his new memories.

Mavis appeared, a broad grin on her face.

"This is it, Natsu! Are you excited?"

He feigned a smile, "Yeah! Let's do this!"

She grabbed his hand, "Natsu, it's okay to be nervous. I would be too."

He sighed heavily. He never had been a very good actor. Mira, Elfman, Laxus, Jellal, Gajeel, Erza, Sorano, Erik, and Levy were all coming in the door, casting him kind smiles. Gray and Juvia were already there. He held her back against his chest, whispering something into her ear.

"I have to go," Levy said, coming to gather Natsu up in a hug.

He held her to his chest for a long moment, tears gathering at his eyes, "I don't know what I would have done without you, Levy. You've been an amazing friend. To both Lucy _and_ me _._ "

She slapped his chest playfully, "Don't talk like that, Natsu! I'm not going anywhere! I'll be there with you every step of the way."

He sniffled into her hair, "But I won't remember that."

She lifted her head, running her fingers through his pink locks, "No more tears, Natsu…you're going to be with Lucy. I will remember for the both of us."

He nodded, letting her go. She crossed the room to Gajeel, going up on her tippy toes to kiss his mouth before flashing Natsu an encouraging grin.

"Tell her…" he paused, really struggling to keep himself in check, "Tell her I love her. And I can't wait to fall in love with her all over again."

Levy nodded, fighting her own tears, regardless of her brave attitude, "I will. I'll see you tomorrow!"

He sniffed back his tears as Mavis opened a door and just like that, Levy was gone.

He refused to cry. He'd shed enough tears in the past several days to create a new ocean. No, this was a _happy_ thing. He would not break down.

Natsu stared out the window, taking in his last impressions of Heaven and committing them to memory. Not that they'd be there for long.

"I thought you said you wouldn't miss Heaven," Gray teased. He had wandered over, Juvia in tow. Now that Natsu looked, they'd all wandered over.

Natsu turned to smile at them, then continued to stare out the window for a moment, "I have a million emotions running through me right now. I don't belong here. I belong with Lucy…but it's still a somber feeling saying goodbye to the only things I've ever known."

"I'm sure it is," Erik said, "But think of what's to come."

Natsu nodded, turning to Mavis, "I'm ready."

Mavis cocked an eyebrow, "Don't you want to say goodbye to your friends?"

Natsu looked down at his feet, "I can't. Not without being a blubbering idiot."

He continued to stare at his feet for a moment, turning his head to glance out the window. He couldn't do it.

Natsu felt the thud into his side before he saw her. Wendy was wrapped around his torso, tears streaming down her face.

"Then we'll all be blubbering idiots with you," Wendy said softly.

The group surrounded him. Tears that had been brimming on the surface of his eyes started streaming down his face as they took turns. Wendy. Minerva. Sorano. Erik. Mira. Laxus. Makarov. Jellal. Juvia. Gajeel wouldn't hug him, but offered a fist-bump...since starting tomorrow, they'd be living together anyway.

He paused at Erza. Her tears were streamed down her face too.

"I think this is the first time I've ever seen you cry," he commented.

"These are tears of joy," she replied, hugging him firmly, "I'm proud of you, Natsu."

"Thank you," he murmured into her shoulder, "For everything."

Erza nodded, moving aside for Gray. The men stared at each for a moment.

"You're still a moron," Gray said flatly as he faced Natsu.

"And you're still as selfish as the night we had that fight," Natsu shot back.

"You broke the trophy case at bowling!" Gray stated.

"I can't imagine Levy's first impression of you when you answered the door naked!" Natsu rolled his eyes.

The others laughed in the background, Juvia's eyebrows raising, Gajeel letting out a low growl.

"You're a lousy drunk," Gray mumbled, tears in his eyes.

"You're a lousy influence," Natsu replied, wiping the tears from his eyes.

They stood there for a moment, flashes of their time together running through both of their minds.

"You're the best friend I've ever had," Natsu choked out.

"You moron," Gray said, his voice quivering, "I was just the _first_ friend you ever had. And I wasn't even that. _Lucy_ was your first friend."

Natsu sniffed back his tears, looking down at his feet again, indicating to Gray that he was not just an ordinary friend. Gray was important to him...and he always would be.

"Look at you…look how far you've come," Gray told him, his voice shaking, "You have friends everywhere now."

They grabbed each other, hugging tightly, both of them heaving their sobs.

Juvia felt tears running down her cheeks before she even realized she was crying. Erza wrapped an arm around her, her other arm wrapping around Sorano. Jellal and Minerva stood together, both of them, holding a shoulder as Wendy sniffed back her tears. Erik hugged Mira while Laxus, Mavis and Gajeel stood back, watching the scene. Mira buried her head in Laxus's shoulder. Makarov closed his eyes, trying to keep himself composed.

"Go," Gray said finally, pushing Natsu away, "It's past your bedtime. And you'd better be good to her, Natsu…or you're going to be confused as hell when I kick your ass since you won't have a _clue_ who I am."

Natsu snickered, "As if you could."

Natsu joined Mavis by the bed, slipping underneath the covers, taking one last look at his friends.

"Thank you, you guys. All of you."

They all smiled at him, through their tears, huddled together in a close group.

"What do I do?" he asked Mavis, laying back on the pillows.

"Close your eyes," Mavis said softly, "Just close your eyes and listen to the sound of my voice."

Natsu did as he was told, his friends surrounding the bed. Their faces were the last thing he saw in Heaven. Flashes of his time on Earthland flitted through his head as he felt himself relaxing. He didn't realize each memory flitting through his head was simultaneously being erased. Mavis talked about playing at the playground with his parents, family trips, and eating dinner together every night...and long evenings of being curled up in his parents' arms as they watched television or read a book. Her voice was soothing.

Natsu was asleep.

"Give him about 2 hours," Mavis said, "Then it will be okay to take him to Gajeel's house."

"That's it?" Erik asked, "He just goes to sleep?"

Mavis nodded.

"Well that was anticlimactic," Gajeel mumbled.

Sorano chuckled.

Makarov smoothed Natsu's hair back from his face, "Be good, my boy."

Mira hugged Laxus wordlessly as the others watched Natsu fall deeper and deeper into slumber.

"I'm going to see Lucy now," Mavis announced.

"Thank you," Gray said, locking eyes with her, "Thank you for everything."

She smiled and disappeared through the door.

"He looks so peaceful," Wendy said softly.

Natsu did look completely comfortable.

"I wish I could sleep that well," Jellal commented.

They all stood in total silence for a moment, watching Natsu sleep.

"We should draw on his face," Gray suggested.

Gajeel and Erik's faces lit up as they all scrambled for a marker.

* * *

Lucy was on the couch with Levy, awaiting Mavis. They were discussing their own memories. Not all of them were good, but even chased and tormented, they'd managed to get a few fond moments together.

"He told me to tell you he loves you and he'll find you," Levy stated, "He can't wait to fall in love with you all over again."

Lucy's eyes filled with tears, "I can't wait either, Lev...I'm so ready for it. I just want to spend the rest of my life in his arms."

"We promised!" Levy reminded, a finger raised in the air.

"It's good to be back in our apartment," Lucy commented, changing the subject.

Levy smiled. The girls had made a promise to each other that they wouldn't cry. Over anything. Not tonight.

Levy nodded her agreement, "Feels like home."

"Will you be here with me for the first while?" Lucy asked.

"For the first while," Levy acknowledged, "Until you need me out of the way to make room for Natsu."

"Right! Apartment next door for you and Gajeel! So what's up with you and Gajeel anyway?" Lucy asked.

She was painting Levy's toenails a pretty red colour. She had used the spacer to stretch out Levy's toes and was just in the process of putting black lines on to make ladybugs.

"I think we're official now," Levy said, cocking her head.

"You _think?_ " Lucy asked, "How can you use _think_ and _official_ in the same sentence? That's contradictory."

Levy shrugged, "I suppose you have a point there. Okay fine…we're official."

"Does _he_ know that you're official?" Lucy teased.

Levy shot her a warning glance, "You're a brat."

Lucy grinned, "Yeah, I know. So…you going to tell me how you became an Angel?"

Levy shrugged, "My story isn't that interesting. I got sick and died. It was a plague. My entire family passed away."

"Where's your family now? Do you see them in Heaven?" Lucy asked.

Levy shook her head, "Heaven is a vast place, Lucy. There's a lot of Divisions on a multi-tiered universe. I haven't seen any of my family since it happened."

"That's so sad!" Lucy exclaimed.

Levy shrugged, "I've got a new family now."

"Yeah," Lucy said thoughtfully, "I know the feeling."

She finished the 2nd foot, sitting back to admire her handiwork.

The tell-tale luminescent door appeared and Mavis stepped out.

"Good evening, Ladies!"

"Hi Mavis," they said together.

"How's Natsu?" Lucy asked immediately.

Mavis smiled, "You're doing better than he was. He was a mess of emotion."

"I said my goodbyes last night," Lucy acknowledged, "I guess that makes a difference. And Levy and I made a pact that we're not saying goodbye. We're just saying 'seeya tomorrow'. I can't handle any more emotion right now."

Levy chuckled, "Poor Natsu."

Mavis nodded, "Well, he's sleeping like a baby now. So…are you ready?"

Lucy glanced at Levy, reaching for her hand. Levy clutched it and Lucy nodded.

Plue and Happy ran at the ladies' feet as they entered Lucy's bedroom. Plue curled up on the bed at her feet as she settled under the covers, Happy at her head.

"Mavis," Lucy said softly, "I want to thank you…for everything."

Mavis nodded, sitting down on the bed beside her, "I want this happy ending as much as everyone else. Your family…hasn't had a very good track record with love. You and Natsu will break the cycle and reset the bar for yourselves and your children…and your children's children."

"We can have kids?" Lucy asked, wide-eyed.

Mavis nodded, "But maybe hold off for a couple years…enjoy each other first. Have a good sleep, Lucy."

She nodded, squeezing Mavis's hand and Levy's at the same time, "I will. Seeya tomorrow."

Lucy laid back into the pillow, trying to imagine little Natsus crossed with little Lucys. Pink hair with brown eyes. Blonde hair with onyx eyes. She loved the thought as she entertained herself with the unlimited possibilities of what their kids could look like.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but she knew she must be as the scenery around her changed. She stood in a field, full of purple and yellow flowers. She was wearing a mauve dress, her hair tied back in a braid. She was gathering the flowers in a pretty brown-wove basket.

"You're so grown up," a voice behind her said in awe.

Lucy didn't have to turn around to know who it was. She would know that voice anywhere.

"Mama!" Lucy cried, rushing into her waiting arms. Despite her earlier claims to Mavis and Levy, she burst into tears.

"Shh," Layla soothed, "I haven't very long to talk to you. Mavis graciously allowed me a moment with you before she wipes your memories."

Lucy tried to calm herself, basking in the warmth of her mother's arms.

"I met him," Layla grinned, a twinkle in eye, "He's wonderful, Lucy. You're going to be so happy with him."

Lucy nodded vigorously, her tears forgotten, "He really is the best, Mama. He's sweet and he's kind…he literally defied Heaven for me."

"I know," Layla said, picking a purple flower and placing it in her daughter's hair, "I was there at the stand off between him and the Council. Your man loves you very much."

Lucy sighed happily.

"I came to tell you that I love you too," Layla said softly, getting to the matter at hand, "And that I'm proud of you. And that I'm sorry."

"Sorry!?" Lucy exclaimed, "You have no reason to be sorry!"

"I died," Layla reminded her, "I left you all alone to deal with your father's messes."

Lucy shook her head, "I never blamed you for that."

"I know you didn't," Layla said sweetly, "But I needed to say it to you…so that _I_ can move on."

Lucy took her mother's hands, "Then please move on. I never wanted to hold you back. I'm okay, Mama…especially now. I miss you every day, but I was never mad at you for dying. I was mad at Daddy for killing you."

Layla choked back her tears, "Your father…he did a lot of bad things, but he really did love us."

Lucy shook her head, "He didn't, Mama. He didn't love either of us. I think you must know that deep down since he kept going back to Kari."

Layla nodded, tears in her eyes, "I know. But I wanted so badly to believe that he did."

Lucy shook her head again, feeling her mother's pain as she contemplated the love she had for her husband that was never returned. It was painful for both of them.

"Why did you put up with it?" Lucy asked, "Even to point of allowing Kari under the same roof as us? She ruined our family."

Layla sighed heavily, "I loved him, Lucy. I kept going back to our happier moments and remembering what could be. I thought if I stuck it out, maybe things would change."

"He killed you," Lucy said monotonously.

Layla nodded, "Because I was happy that Kari was dead. Only she wasn't. I have to say Lucy, it gave me great satisfaction when you literally kicked her ass."

Layla covered her mouth, embarrassed that she'd say such a thing.

Lucy giggled. She had gotten some satisfaction out of that too.

"I love you, Lucy," Layla whispered.

Lucy hugged Layla as tightly as she could, not wanting the moment to end.

"I love you too," she whispered, "Mama...stay with me a little longer!"

"I have to go. You're going to wake up soon. Enjoy your life, my little Lucy," Layla's voice was fading away, "Love Natsu with all your heart. And remember...I'll always be watching you."

* * *

Her eyes jolted open, realizing that she was tightly hugging Plue's back end. He cast a glare at her over his shoulder.

"Sorry Plue…you're not a pillow," Lucy laughed, throwing back her covers to get out of bed. Happy mewed, protesting as she shook the bed slightly. She put her foot down, "Aww Plue! You couldn't wait?"

"What's the matter?" Levy asked, coming into the room. Happy padded off the bed, heading to the living room in search of food.

"He made a mess again," Lucy said in disgust. She hopped to the bathroom, wiping her foot completely before grabbing some paper towel and some disinfectant to go clean up the mess.

Levy watched her clean the mess silently, wondering if her memories were gone. She was acting like Lucy always did.

"Lev! Can you take Plue out while I shower? That was so gross!"

Levy grabbed Plue's leash from the top of the bookshelf, "Sure Lucy. Hey…after... do you want to see what Gray is doing?"

Lucy popped her head around the bathroom wall, wearing nothing but a towel, "What are you talking about? Who's Gray?"

Levy shook her head, turning so Lucy wouldn't see the tears in her eyes as Lucy disappeared back into the bathroom, "Nothing. Nevermind."


	63. Chapter 63

"YO!" Gajeel crashed into the spare bedroom of his house. He was fully dressed in his police uniform.

Natsu, however, was snoring happily under his blankets in only his underwear.

"Get up, Rookie! You'll be late for your first day!"

Natsu stirred, groaning slightly. He was _really_ comfortable. That may have been the best sleep of his life.

"I don't wanna," Natsu moaned, pulling the blanket over his head, "I'm really comfortable."

Gajeel stooped beside the bed, speaking in soft, utterly-sarcastic tones, "Yeah. I guess you're right. You can always find another job, right? Fresh out of the academy…late for your first day…the bosses will understand."

He paused for a minute, waiting for Natsu to move. He didn't. In fact, Gajeel was pretty sure he heard a little snore from underneath of the blanket.

"GET UP!" he roared.

Natsu jumped into the air, half-flying to the bathroom. Gajeel could be a real ass when he wanted to be. They'd been friends for years…dating back to childhood even. Gajeel was a few years older and he'd been working in Magnolia for awhile. Natsu finished his police training last week and lucked out getting assigned with his buddy at the same precinct.

Last night, they'd had a Welcome to Magnolia Party with some of Gajeel's friends from the precinct. He'd played poker with a few new faces, although they were all fuzzy to him today. He honestly couldn't remember any names either. Strangely, he didn't feel hungover at all. In fact, he felt great.

Natsu took off his underwear, turning on the shower, then the water in the sink so he could splash his face a bit to wake up. He glanced in the mirror.

"Aw shit!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Gajeel yelled from the bedroom.

He snickered. He knew perfectly well what.

"They drew on my face!" Natsu shouted, "What the hell?"

He had black marker outlining his eyes like glasses and they'd made his eyebrows super-thick. A handle moustache outlined his mouth with a hilarious, bushy goatee. Beyond that, someone had coloured his lips in red, exaggerating the shape so that his lips now looked plump and ready to kiss someone.

Gajeel poked his head inside the bathroom, "That's what you get for having one too many beers at a poker game. Gihihi!"

"You're hilarious!" Natsu yelled sarcastically, chucking his towel at the disappearing Gajeel.

* * *

Lucy and Levy walked down the street together, yakking as they sipped their coffee.

"So today you'll catch up to the crew for a planning meeting at the old 8-Island grounds?" Levy asked.

Lucy nodded, "We're going to go over the basic floor plan. Then this afternoon, we'll spend some time on the budget. We're sending about 8 people back to school. Juvia left us a lot of money, but if we don't plan well, it'll be gone before we can achieve our dream."

"I think it's beautiful," Levy said honestly, "We really did go through the wringer…but look at all the good that's come out of it."

Lucy nodded, "Personally, I'm just glad it's over."

"So you'll be at the new location of the restaurant for part of the morning…then where will you be meeting everyone for the budget planning?" Levy asked.

Lucy raised an eyebrow at her, "Look at you with all your questions. Do you want me to turn the GPS on my cell phone on? Perhaps you'd like to tether me to a leash so you can keep tabs on me?"

Levy laughed, "Okay! Point taken! So sue me…I worry about my best friend!"

"Our worrying days are over, Best Friend!" Lucy declared, "From here on in, it's only straight up for us!"

Levy paused, glancing at Lucy, "Oh my."

"What is it?" Lucy asked, turning around to see what had caught Levy's eye.

Freed Justine was stalking toward them, obviously angry. But then, wasn't he always angry?

"Levy McGarden! Do you have any idea how many shifts you blew?" he thundered when he got close enough.

"I was a little busy…you know… _running for my life_!" Levy shot back, " Maybe you don't care about what happened, but I haven't exactly been on vacation!"

"Well, I'll forgive you," Freed said quietly, "But you need to report to work immediately. You start in 10 minutes."

Levy glanced at him. She liked her job at the library, but the only thing that made working with Freed tolerable was working with Gajeel…and he wouldn't be back.

"No thank you," she said flatly, "I'm not returning to the library."

His eyes went wide, "Of course you're returning to the library! You _have_ to!"

"I do _NOT_ have to," Levy replied, "I quit."

She paused, looking over the shocked man in front of her.

"You can't quit!" Freed exclaimed, "Please Levy! I don't have anyone else! I've been stuck working every single day, all day long. I _need_ you!"

"You might want to consider treating your employees better then," Levy suggested, "The way you treated Gajeel was insufferable. And the way you abandoned Laki after she got threatened…horrible. You are a selfish man. If you can't keep employees, _maybe_ you should consider looking in the mirror to figure out why."

She turned on her heel and walked away with Lucy, ignoring the yells and begging behind her.

Lucy squealed, "That was awesome, Lev!"

Levy smiled, satisfied that she'd finally been able to tell Freed off. It felt good.

"But now you're jobless," Lucy stated, "What will you do now?"

Levy shrugged, "I dunno…maybe I'll bum off my rich best friend for awhile."

Lucy laughed.

They were getting close to the Police Station. Levy looked ahead, trying to spot Gajeel. They were supposed to meet outside somehow to make the introduction. There was no one in the parking lot. She had to stall.

But Lucy was already turning in the other direction, "I'll seeya later, Lev! I'm meeting Loke and the others in 20 minutes!"

Levy sighed as she watched Lucy go. Murphy's Law said that Gajeel and Natsu would be turning into the parking lot right about now. She turned. Sure enough, Gajeel was just parking the squad car.

She knew Lucy's memory was gone, but would Natsu's be?

She wanted to see Natsu suddenly. Natsu would have no memory of Levy since the cover story was that he'd just arrived in town, but she wanted to know for herself that he was okay...that the process hadn't hurt him in any way.

The best way to know if his memory was really gone was to shock him. Pre-Natsu embarrassed easily...and she knew just how to test it.

She crossed the street, throwing herself into a startled Gajeel's arms, then grabbed his shoulders, forcing him down for a hot kiss.

Gajeel wrapped his arms around her back, lifting her up by her butt to return the kiss. Her legs wrapped around his waist. Natsu's eyes were wide as he watched the spectacle, but he didn't look away.

Finally, Gajeel lowered Levy back down to the ground, both of them panting slightly.

"Damn, girl!" Gajeel exclaimed, "What brought that on?"

"I missed you," Levy blushed. She glanced at Natsu, still wide-eyed as he openly stared at them.

There was no flicker of remembrance as he gawked at her, only shock at the intense kiss she'd just imposed on Gajeel.

It was true. Natsu had forgotten everything too.

"Who's your friend?" she asked, gesturing toward Natsu.

Natsu had scrubbed his face until it was almost raw, but there were still traces of the Sharpie marker on his eyebrows and moustache area. His goatee was faded, but it was still there nonetheless. Thankfully, the lips had faded somewhat. Levy couldn't contain her giggle. Gray must've been behind that. A little parting gift.

"Levy," Gajeel grabbed her hand and pulled her toward Natsu, "This is the new recruit I was telling you about. We're childhood friends and he just graduated from the Academy. Today is Natsu's first day."

Levy extended a hand, wondering if he'd have a spark of memory when they touched.

Natsu took her hand without hesitation. There was no spark of memory. He had definitely, completely and totally forgotten her.

"I'm Natsu," he repeated, "It's nice to meet you, Levy."

"Looks like you've had an unfortunate run-in with a marker or two," Levy said. She couldn't contain her amusement.

"So I've noticed," Natsu grumbled, glaring at Gajeel.

"Go inside and report to the front desk," Gajeel told Natsu, "I'll be right there."

Natsu nodded to Levy, then proceeded up the steps as ordered.

"You're late," Levy scolded, "Lucy had a meeting with the 8-Island crew and left about 3 minutes before you pulled into the lot."

"It's not my fault!" Gajeel exclaimed, "Sleeping Beauty didn't want to get up!"

She sighed, "They've really forgotten everything."

"Yeah," Gajeel agreed, "Flame-brain doesn't even remember who wrote on him. He completely buys that we were at a poker game last night. He doesn't even know who was there. He just assumes he had fun."

"Lucy will be at the old 8-Island grounds for part of the morning," Levy reported, "Then in the afternoon, she has a budget meeting, but I couldn't get the location out of her."

"Okay," Gajeel nodded, "I'll try to get Natsu over to the 8-Island grounds at some point this morning then."

"I'll follow her in the _shadows_ ," Levy sighed, "Hopefully we can get them to meet sooner than later."

Gajeel nodded, glancing at her with a small smirk on his face, "You know, that kiss was really hot."

"Was it?" Levy purred, wrapping her arms around Gajeel's waist.

"Hmm," he nodded, preparing to pick her up again for another heated kiss.

"Gajeel!" Natsu called from the door, "Gajeel – it's been a few minutes…are you coming or what?"

Gajeel and Levy both sighed.

"Go," Levy said, "I'll keep an eye on Lucy."

Gajeel nodded, turning toward Natsu, "I'm coming! Keep your pants on!"

Natsu glanced down at his pants. Levy couldn't help but stifle a laugh. She knew Mavis had poured extra attention into giving him experiences so he wouldn't appear so clueless. But phantom memories would only teach him so much. He wasn't an Angel anymore…but he was still Natsu.

* * *

The 8-Island crew arrived at the empty lot that once been their beloved restaurant roughly all at the same time. Crews had already been in and removed all of the debris. It was a flat lot.

"A bit nostalgic, isn't it?" Lisanna said quietly, "I wonder if Juvia is looking down from Heaven right now."

Cana nodded, "I think she'd be happy with what we're trying to do."

"For sure," Mest agreed, "And if she was here, she would be planning out where her kitchen items would go."

"I miss her," Kinana said softly.

"The grounds are big enough," Lucy said slowly, completely changing the subject, "How tall will we make the building?"

"Three levels?" Virgo suggested, "The bottom floor would be the restaurant and Fairy Tail would be the top two levels. We'll need an office for each of us and a meeting room."

She glanced at Lucy. She was spacing out.

"Lucy?" Virgo asked.

"I'm fine!" Lucy laughed, "Sorry. I guess I was just thinking about Juvia too."

"I'm sure she's happy, wherever she is," Cana said thoughtfully, "Juvia was never one to stay down for long. She changes with the situation. I'll bet she's running Heaven by now."

The others laughed lightly.

"What about a 4th floor for living quarters?" Lucy asked.

The others looked at her.

"If we have a victim with nowhere to go…should we have an apartment or two on the top level to accommodate them?" Lucy tapped her lip with her pencil as she thought it out.

"Possibly," Loke said, "But we're talking about some huge money there."

"I've been thinking about that," Lucy replied, "Can you give me the name of that lawyer you were dealing with please?"

Loke dug through his wallet, handing her a card.

"So Max is his name?" Lucy asked, taking out her notebook as she glanced at the card. She opened her notebook, staring for a moment at a story she had started at some time or another. It was strange. She didn't remember writing this story. Nevertheless, she couldn't use this notebook. She traded it for a blank one, writing down Max's number, then pulled out her cell phone, "I'll be right back. I'm going to call him right now."

The others glanced at each other. Lucy had been very business-like this morning. It was a trait they'd never seen in her before. Not that it was bad! None of them had ever set up a business before. It was good that Lucy had some inkling of where to start.

She came back 10 minutes later. The others were discussing the floor plan of the restaurant, since it would be functioning first.

"I have a lawyer's appointment in 20 minutes," Lucy announced, "Money is not going to be an issue on this project."

The others' confused expressions alerted her to the fact that they had no clue what she was talking about. Juvia had left them millions…it wouldn't disappear _that_ easily.

"Now that Dan and Samuel are gone," Lucy explained, "I will claim the Heartfilia fortune. I know Juvia left us a lot of money, but by the time you factor in blueprints, constructing the building, permits, qualified contractors, and schooling…even Juvia's money will run dry at some point."

"Lucy…are you sure?" Laki asked slowly, "That's _your_ money."

Lucy nodded, "I want to see this project through. I feel…like I owe it to Juvia. Plus, my father was a bad man. He would turn over in his _grave_ if he knew his money was going toward a cause so noble. Somehow, that gives me a _tonne_ of satisfaction."

"Thank you," Mest said quietly, the others nodding beside him.

Lucy shook her head, "No. I need to thank all of you. You didn't have to include me in this. I still feel it's my fault that any of us are in this position in the first place. I can never make up for Juvia's death…but maybe between all of us, we can prevent someone else's."

* * *

Levy pulled out her cell phone, flitting to a dark corner where she hoped no one would notice her.

"Pick up your danged cell phone, Gajeel!" she hissed once the answering machine kicked in, "Lucy is going to the lawyer's office. She _won't_ be here at the scheduled time! I repeat! We need a Plan B!"

She sighed. She was going to have to train him to answer his cell if it was the last thing she did. She knew he wouldn't check the message. Putting her cell away, she went to chase Lucy as she headed out for her lawyer's appointment.

* * *

"Let me drive," Natsu said to Gajeel as they exited the police station.

"No way!" Gajeel almost screamed, "There is _no way_ you're touching my squad car! You haven't even got a licence yet!"

"Okay fine!" Natsu stated, "but I'm driving on the way back!"

"Like hell you are," Gajeel muttered.

"Hey – you're getting a _new_ car, right?" Natsu asked as he walked around the car to the passenger side. Gajeel had told him about the untimely death of his car. He knew roughly the ordeal Gajeel had just been through, having read it in the papers and watched the newcasts on TV, "Can it be our 'household' car?"

"If you want a car," Gajeel huffed, putting on his seatbelt, "Then you have to get your own. Save up your paycheques."

"You still have to teach me how to drive," Natsu said smugly, "Sting said so."

Gajeel sighed heavily. Sting _had_ said that. There wasn't enough time to implant memories into Natsu's head about being able to drive. Sting had been amazing, accommodating the Angels' plan. He told Gajeel to get the Learner's permit and teach Natsu right away. That was why they were in the vehicle now…to go get Natsu's learning permit…right after they swung by the 8-Island grounds.

He pulled up beside where the new building would go and parked.

Natsu glanced around, "Isn't the Motor Vehicle Branch on the other side of town?"

"Yeah," Gajeel said, "But I want to check on the 8-Island crew. They've been through a lot. I hear they have a new endeavor and I want to see how they're doing."

Natsu nodded, following his roomie/mentor to where Loke was discussing something with someone who looked like a surveyor.

"I'll get working on the blueprints!" the man said, offering a smile and a handshake.

Loke shook his hand, "Great! We look forward to hearing from you."

He turned to Gajeel.

"Good to see you Loke," Gajeel said, "We just stopped by to see how things are going."

"Really good!" Kinana grinned, "The planning stages are coming right along!"

"That's awesome!" Gajeel offered an awkward smile, glancing around, "So I hear Lucy is going to be a part of your crew. But I don't see her."

"She's joining us," Mest confirmed, "She's gone for the afternoon today though."

Gajeel kicked himself. No doubt if he checked his phone, there'd be a message from Levy. She was going to let him have it later for being too late.

"Well, let us know if we can help at all," Gajeel waved, herding Natsu back to the car.

* * *

Lucy had finished at the lawyer's office, Max promising to connect with the people in charge of the Heartfilia fortune and make preliminary arrangements.

She found herself in a very good mood as she strolled the street, passed the government buildings where drivers' licences were applied for, and into a small diner to pick up a sandwich.

Levy's eyes popped open as she realized Gajeel and Natsu were entering the building next to where Lucy was buying her sandwich. She flitted into the government building to see if perhaps she could get Gajeel's attention and have them run into each other at the diner.

Gajeel and Natsu were waiting in line, making small talk about what would be on the Learner's test.

"Gajeel!" she whispered from the shadows.

He cocked his head, glancing around, but wasn't even close to narrowing in on her. It was too busy in the office. Levy couldn't take the chance of someone seeing her if she tried to get more daring in getting his attention.

She sighed, wondering if she could stall Lucy long enough to keep her in the area until Gajeel and Natsu were ready to leave the building. Perhaps if she 'ran into' Lucy in solid form, she could keep her busy enough…

She peered into the shop window, face-palming when she realized Lucy had bought her sandwich and gone on her way. She didn't sit to eat it. Glancing up and down the street, Levy grimaced. She had no idea where Lucy was going now. She could be anywhere.

* * *

"Do you know the basic functions of the vehicle?" Gajeel asked as he sat in the passenger seat of the squad car.

Natsu nodded, putting on his own seatbelt.

"Did you do your walk around the vehicle to make sure there's nothing in your way, no small children?"

Natsu nodded again, adjusting the rear view mirror slightly.

"Did you check the side mirrors?" Gajeel asked.

Natsu grinned, sticking the key into the ignition and turning it.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Gajeel exclaimed.

"Turning the car on," Natsu stated, as if it wasn't obvious.

"You haven't finished your checks yet!" Gajeel told him.

Natsu cast him a sideways glance, "Gajeel, I checked, okay?"

Gajeel took a deep breath, suddenly wishing he'd stopped by the plastic factory on the other side of town to pick up a role of bubble wrap…a _big_ role of bubble wrap…and maybe a crash helmet.

Natsu shifted the car into 'Drive', checking behind his left shoulder for any oncoming traffic before slamming on the gas.

The car lurched forward, gaining speed at an alarming rate.

"Back off the gas! Back off the gas!" Gajeel screamed, one hand holding onto the 'oh shit' handle, the other bracing the dashboard.

Natsu let go of the gas a bit. He was grinning like a maniac as he passed someone...on Main Street…over a double line, then managed to deek back into traffic to avoid the oncoming semi-truck.

"PULL OVER!" Gajeel demanded.

"But we're not at the police station yet," Natsu stated, "Give me three minutes – I'll have us there in no time."

" _That should be a 10 minute drive from here_!" Gajeel screamed, "PULL OVER!"

Natsu signaled, pulling over and slamming the brakes to a stop. The car lurched, pushing both of them toward the dashboard.

Gajeel was breathing heavily, his eyes wide.

"Pretty good for my first time, right?" Natsu's face was beaming.

Gajeel felt his chest tighten. He wondered if he was having a heart attack.

"Gajeel?" Natsu asked, waving his hand in front of Gajeel's eyes.

Gajeel made a small noise, a bit indistinguishable by Natsu.

"I'll just drive us the rest of the way now," Natsu said, turning the car back on.

Gajeel grabbed the keys from the ignition, still feeling like he was hyperventilating. Natsu raised his eyebrows.

"Get in the passenger seat," Gajeel said quietly, breathing slowly...in and out...in and out...

"But Gaj-"

"GET IN THE PASSENGER SEAT!" Gajeel thundered in a voice that left no room for discussion.

As they traded seats, Natsu seemed none-the-worse-for-wear. He was unconcerned that Gajeel still wore a perma-frown. Or that he was still shaking.

Gajeel started the car, driving _slowly_ in the direction of the other side of town.

"Cop shop is that way," Natsu pointed out, gesturing to the opposite direction.

"I know," Gajeel muttered, "We're going to the plastic factory."

* * *

Lucy shook her head, her mind reeling at the fact that that squad car had almost side-swiped her… _while she was on the sidewalk_. Shrugging her shoulders, she continued on her way down the road to her budget planning meeting with 8-Island. They were meeting at the mall in 20 minutes.

* * *

"Are you going straight home tonight?" Yukino asked, coming up to Sting in the coffee room.

He blushed, casting his glance down at his coffee cup. Since the night at Rogue's, they'd been speaking a little more often. Something had changed between them, but Sting wasn't really sure what. He also wasn't sure how to act on it.

In his younger years, he had been very into girls. He never had a problem picking up a girlfriend. The problem was keeping them. He took his work very seriously. He'd never anyone who wanted to stick it out with him. After awhile, he stopped trying.

"I was thinking about it," he said quietly, "How about you?"

"I just thought maybe," she blushed deeply, turning her glance away from Sting, "if you weren't busy…we could go do something."

Sting glanced at the door, half-expecting Rogue to be there, encouraging Yukino to ask Sting out. He had no doubt Rogue had been coaching her in how to approach him. The doorway was empty.

"Yuki," Sting put his hand on her arm, "I think I'd like to go do something with you. But I'm afraid, you know? We're such a tight-knit group here. What if we didn't get along? What is something happened between us that we can't get past? It would make things really awkward between us."

She stared at him, directly in his eyes. Rogue had told her that was how she would get through to him – challenge him directly.

"And what it it's amazing?" she asked, "What if we have the time of our lives? We can go as friends tonight and see where it goes from there…but we'll never know, Sting, if you don't take a chance."

Remembering Rogue's advice to be bold, she walked toward the door, not even casting a backward glance.

"I'll be at the pub tonight at 8:00," she mentioned, "It would be a shame if I sat alone all night. Just saying."

* * *

"The pub," Gajeel told Levy.

He had called her cell phone after a frustrating day of trying to be at the same place at the same time so that Natsu and Lucy could meet. They'd been close to the same area a few times, but it was proving harder than either of them thought.

"I'm telling Natsu I'm taking him to the pub to celebrate his first day as a real cop," Gajeel said, "I'll tell him I invited my girlfriend to join us and she's bringing a friend."

"Gajeel, Lucy will never want to go to the pub," Levy pointed out, "She's not a huge drinker and she's not a huge fan of men who drape themselves all over women."

"Well, you come up with a better plan then!" Gajeel challenged, "We've been trying all day to get these two to meet…and we're failing miserably! Plus, I could really, _really_ use a beer about now. Natsu is exhausting."

Levy sighed. She agreed this was way harder than she'd thought it would be. She _still_ didn't know where Lucy took off to.

"Okay," Levy agreed, "I'll get her to come to the pub with me. We'll meet up with you and Natsu for drinks. We'll be all over each other, leaving them nothing to do but talk to each other."

" _How_ all over each other?" Gajeel asked.

"Way to keep your priorities straight, Gaj…See you in an hour," Levy laughed as she hung up the phone.

* * *

Levy was pacing the apartment. She'd been home for almost two hours, waiting for Lucy to show up. Now they were getting too late to meet up with Gajeel and Natsu. Gajeel told her he'd keep stalling. He was trying to keep Natsu busy by playing table hockey.

The door clicked open.

"Where have you _been?"_ Levy asked, going to meet Lucy at the door.

She stopped in her tracks, suddenly realizing that Lucy wasn't alone.

* * *

Yukino sat alone at a table in the pub, stirring her rum and Coke. It was 8:35 pm. She supposed Sting wasn't coming. She had been watching Gajeel and Natsu play air hockey. They had come over to say hello, but when they asked if she wanted to sit with them, she shook her head, explaining that she was waiting for someone.

She sighed, getting up and gathering her jacket.

She had her answer. Sting wasn't interested. If he had even wanted to explore their friendship a bit, that would have been okay. She wasn't expecting to jump feet first into a relationship. Still, she couldn't hide her disappointment.

She left some money on the table and headed for the door, literally crashing into Sting on her way out.

"You came," she gasped.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he muttered nervously, "I'm not much for crowds."

"We don't have to stay here," Yukino said softly, "I mean...if you actually want to spend some time together, that is."

He moved closer to her, enveloping her in a hug.

"I don't know how to do this, Yuki," he confessed, "It's been a long time since I've liked someone. And I'm afraid. I don't want to mess up our working relationship."

Yukino returned the hug, happy that at last Sting's barriers had come down enough to be honest with her.

"Then we'll start out as friends," she said softly.

"Okay," Sting replied, "We'll take it slow and see where it goes."

Yukino nodded, realizing he still hadn't broken the hug. Satisfaction coursed through her veins. At least he was willing to give it a chance.

* * *

"I win again!" Natsu threw his hands up as he scored the final goal with his air hockey men.

Gajeel groaned. He was getting really sick of this game.

"Wanna go again?" Natsu asked.

"No," Gajeel stated flatly, "I really don't."

Natsu nodded at the pool table, "We could always try pool."

Sighing, Gajeel remembered Gray's story about the _last_ time Natsu had played pool. But he had to stall a bit longer. He got off his bench and dug in his pocket for a two dollar coin.

* * *

"Hello Loke," Levy said nicely, "It's nice to see you."

Loke smiled, "Good to see you too, Levy."

"We're just done meetings now," Lucy told Levy, "but things are coming along so wonderfully! Our blueprints will be drawn up within the week!"

"That's wonderful!" Levy forced a smile.

"Loke and I are going to watch a movie," Lucy said to Levy, leading him into the living room.

Loke sat down on the couch, reaching down to pet Plue, but he had to withdraw his hand when he growled.

"Plue doesn't like men much," Lucy explained, grabbing Plue's collar, "C'mon Plue! Off to the bedroom with you for the night!"

Loke turned to the slightly blue kitten sitting on the other end of the couch, reaching out to pet him. Happy hissed, swatting at Loke's hand before getting off the couch and following Lucy to her bedroom.

Levy shook her head. She wondered if it had occurred to Lucy that her animals had a good 6th sense. Loke was not the one who should be on that couch and _they_ both knew it.

She picked up her cell phone to text Gajeel.

 _I'm not going to make it. Lucy came home, but she's not alone. Let's meet later to discuss what we should try next._

* * *

Gajeel sighed, apologizing again to the man that Natsu had accidently whacked in the ribs with his cue.

At first, he was pretty sure the man was going to jump Natsu. Gajeel used his intimidating size to try to talk the man down from a fight. Thankfully, it had worked.

"Should we finish our game?" Natsu asked lightly.

Gajeel shook his head, "I think we've had enough pool for the night."

He glanced down at his phone, receiving Levy's text.

 _Lucy came home, but she's not alone._

What the hell did that mean?

He glanced back at Natsu, who was talking to a pretty young brunette who'd brought him a drink.

"I'm new in town," Natsu was saying, "I just started at the Magnolia Police Station."

"Oooh! A cop!" she said, sitting down at the table with wide eyes.

"Yes…a cop," Gajeel repeated.

She stared at him, getting the message that that was Gajeel's seat and she was not welcome.

She stood up, smiling at Natsu, then scribbled her number on a napkin, "Call me. Maybe we can meet up here when your _friend_ here is busy some night."

Natsu nodded, smiling back at her.

He turned to Gajeel, "I think I just made my first friend in Magnolia!"

"She didn't want to be your friend," Gajeel said, his elbow propped on the table with his hand covering his forehead.

Natsu frowned, making Gajeel wonder how many memories Mavis had given him regarding flirting and dating.

"She was hitting on you," Gajeel stated.

Natsu was confused again, "She didn't even touch me!"

Gajeel breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, driving was not the only thing Mavis had neglected to give Natsu memories for.

"Listen, Natsu…what I mean is that she wants you to call her to go on a date," Gajeel explained, "But she's not right for you."

Natsu glanced up at him, still wearing his confused expression, "How can you tell?"

Gajeel took a deep breath. He _did not_ want to explain the birds and the bees to Natsu.

"Let's just say that when you meet the person you're meant to be with, you'll _know,"_ he explained, "That girl was looking for a quick roll in the hay. What you want is someone who wants to get to know you…someone who makes your heart pound. You'll think she's beautiful and sweet and kind...she'll literally take your breath away."

"Roll in the hay?" Natsu repeated, one eyebrow cocked.

"Just trust me," Gajeel snapped, " _That girl_ wasn't 'the one'."

Natsu was still confused, but he let the subject go.

"Let's just go home," Gajeel grumbled, grabbing his jacket.

Natsu glanced back at the girl, who was now sitting at the bar with another man, laughing as she leaned forward and touched his knee.

Sighing, he grabbed his own jacket and followed Gajeel out the door.

* * *

"Good night!" Levy said to Loke as she shut the door behind him.

She turned to Lucy, a smile on her face.

"He's a nice guy," she said happily, cleaning up the chips and dip they'd had during the movie.

Lucy frowned, remembering the way Levy had planted herself between Lucy and Loke on the couch. She had brought two bowls of chips to the couch – one for herself and Lucy to share…and one for Loke.

"Yeah," Lucy said slowly, "And yet I get the impression you don't like him."

"I like him fine," Levy declared, heading to the bedroom to let Happy and Plue out, "Like I said – he's a nice guy."

Lucy maintained her frown.

"What's the matter?" Levy asked finally.

"I get the impression you don't like that we hang out," Lucy said flatly.

Her face had an angry edge to it. Lucy and Levy rarely got angry at each other, but Levy knew she might have crossed a line this time. She had been _slightly obvious_ in her attempts to keep things rated K while they were watching the movie.

"I don't think he's right for you," Levy replied.

Lucy let out a "Ha!" that clearly implied her reaction to Levy's remark.

"We are _friends_ , Levy!" Lucy exclaimed, "Last I checked, I'm allowed to have those!"

"I'm not stopping you from having _friends_!" Levy retorted, "But didn't you see the look in his eyes? He wants more than friendship."

Lucy threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, "So what if he does? That's not for you to decide, Levy! Maybe now that we've got our clean slates, I'd like to explore relationships a bit too! I never say anything about you and Gajeel!"

"What – you don't like Gajeel?" Levy asked.

"I _do_ like Gajeel!" Lucy half-yelled, "But I don't interfere in your life and tell you what you can and cannot do with him!"

Levy felt a tear come to her eye as Lucy grabbed Plue's leash to take him out before bed. She stomped out the door without another word.

Levy stared at her hands for several minutes, trying not cry.

* * *

"Well, that was a failed day," Gajeel sighed.

He and Levy met at the same small restaurant that they'd met in all those months ago when they first met. Both Natsu and Lucy had gone to bed for the night, leaving an exhausted Levy and Gajeel to catch up to each other to exchange notes.

"I'm sorry. Lucy took forever to come home. And then when she did, she had Loke with her," Levy sighed.

"Loke," Gajeel repeated, eyebrows raised, "Don't tell me that idiot was trying something with her!"

Levy shook her head, "I don't know. It sounded like they were just getting back from the budget meeting. They were excited because the blueprints were okayed today. They watched a movie together and then Lucy blew up at me because she thinks I'm interfering with her friendship with Loke too much."

Gajeel glanced at the pained expression in her eyes, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand, "If it makes you feel any better, Mavis didn't give Natsu any memories about dating or flirting. He was totally clueless when a girl tried hitting on him tonight."

She nodded. That _did_ make her feel better, but it wasn't Natsu she was worried about.

Gajeel let out a sigh of relief, "We suck, Lev."

"Mavis never promised it would be easy," Levy lamented, trying to pull herself out of her funk, "What's your schedule tomorrow?"

Gajeel groaned, his head hitting the table dramatically, "I have to teach Natsu to drive. Sting was insistent today that if Natsu wants to work the field, he needs to learn to drive. He damn near killed me after getting his Learner's."

"Scary," Levy agreed, an amused grin on her face, "But you _do know_ that you're an Angel, right? He can't actually kill you in a car accident."

"You're completely missing the point," Gajeel said flatly.

Levy giggled.

She glanced up at Gajeel, an idea forming in her head, "What if I suggested Lucy takes driver's lessons too? What if we both enrolled them at Driving School and somehow arranged that they take their lessons together?"

"We don't have a Driver's Education course in Magnolia," Gajeel said, "And I'm supposed to teach Natsu to drive myself."

Levy sighed, "This is so much harder than I thought it would be."

"Dinner at your house," Gajeel suggested.

She looked up, catching his eye as it gleamed.

"We're dating," he reminded her, "And Natsu saw us together this morning. What if we had dinner together? We get to have a date…and if Natsu comes with me, he will have no choice but to sit together at the same table with Lucy."

Her eyes lit up, "Okay! I can see this working!"

They leaned across the table, kissing each others' lips like they hadn't seen each other in days.

"Hey Shrimp?" Gajeel asked. He was holding her hands on the table.

She blushed, making eye contact, "Yeah?"

"Maybe it's time we made it official," Gajeel murmured. He was really bad at being affectionate. He knew it. But his feelings for Levy were only getting stronger. Collaborating with her to help Natsu and Lucy meet only amplified what he felt for Levy.

She smiled, "I was under the impression that we've been official for awhile now."

"Well," he looked up at the ceiling awkwardly, "I'm asking...officially."

"I'll think about it," she teased, snagging one of his fries.

* * *

 _ **We are really, really close to the end of Angel of Oops...only a couple chapters left to go**_

 _ **Thank you again to everyone for the amazing support.**_


	64. Chapter 64

**_Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and readers..._**

* * *

The Magnolia Police Department dissolved into laughter when Gajeel and Natsu walked in the next day. Gajeel had made good on his threat and was garbed in bubble wrap from head-to-toe. He was wearing a ski helmet and safety goggles.

"I really don't think that's necessary," Natsu muttered.

"Oh it's necessary," Gajeel lamented, "You almost hit an old lady on the way here."

"It wasn't that bad!" Natsu insisted.

Sting exited his office, looking Gajeel over as the other officers teased Natsu. He was a good-natured kid and seemed to take the teasing well.

"How…are the lessons going?" Sting asked slowly.

Rogue scrambled to the door so he could see too, coughing loudly to cover his amused chuckles.

"We need to borrow your car," Gajeel stated, "Since we shouldn't use the squad car."

Rogue and Sting exchanged glances. Rogue had his big truck and Sting had his sports car. Neither were keen to let Natsu drive their vehicles if Gajeel was anywhere remotely close to being un-dramatic.

"My daughter has a car that she'd be thrilled to see killed off," Gildarts offered, "It's…all sorts of special."

"Thanks Gildarts," Gajeel said.

As Gildarts went off to call his daughter, Gajeel wrinkled his nose. He was trying to mix himself a cup of coffee…no easy feat with bubbled-wrapped arms. Come to think of it, he likely wouldn't be able to raise the cup to his lips either. He sighed, giving up.

"The car is all yours," Gildarts announced, grabbing his own coffee, "She's on her way with it now."

Natsu's eyes lit up, "This is great! Although I still don't understand why I can't drive the squad car."

Sting turned away so Natsu wouldn't see his face. He had a stack of complaints about Natsu's 3 minute drive from yesterday on his desk. _That's_ why they didn't want him driving the squad car.

10 minutes later, Gildarts lead Natsu, Gajeel, and Sting outside.

"A Sprint," Gajeel groaned, "It _would_ be a Sprint."

It was in worse shape than the Sprint that Gajeel had driven the night they raced to the clearing. It was gray in colour, rust adorning the trunk and hood areas. A bonus to using such a crappy car, though, was that Natsu would not likely be able to build up speed.

Cana Alberon got out from behind the wheel, "Okay Pops. Here it is. Where's my money?"

Gildarts turned a shade of red, passing Cana a few bills.

"Cana is your daughter?" Sting asked, "You didn't say anything… _that night_!"

Cana was staring. Natsu glanced around to see if something interesting was immediately around him, but no…she was definitely staring _at him_.

"He's my _estranged_ father," Cana said, snapping out of her stupor, "We don't talk much."

"But I want to talk more!" Gildarts said in a hurry, trying to cut her off so he could have a hug, "We're working on it, aren't we, Baby Girl?"

"Sure Pops," Cana groaned, dodging him, "I've gotta go. 8-Island is meeting again with the guy who makes blueprints. Since I just gave up my chariot, I've gotta jet."

"I could give you a ride!" Gildarts offered, pulling out his keys.

She glanced back at him, giving a small smile, "No thanks. I like the exercise. Seeya."

Gildarts watched her walk away, the pain in his eyes breaking Natsu's heart.

Gajeel was stooped inside the driver's side of the Sprint, trying to put the seat back as far as it would go…and failing miserably. He looked hilarious trying to maneuver inside the car between the bubble wrap and the fact that he was just plain…large.

"I'll just drive us from here," Natsu said when Gajeel found himself failing to move the seat at all.

Sting snickered. Gajeel looked like he'd have to bend in half to get into that car, especially wearing all that bubble wrap.

Sighing, Gajeel realized he didn't have a lot of options. He circled around to the other side of the car, cramming himself into the seat there.

Natsu's face lit up, "Bye Sting! Bye Gildarts!"

As Natsu raced to the driver's side, Sting heard Gajeel let out a loud cuss word.

"What's the matter now?" Sting asked, stooping to look through the open window.

Gajeel was shaking his head, his face paling, "It's a stick shift."

* * *

Rogue and Sting were inside Sting's office with the blinds drawn, awaiting their visitors. As if on cue, Jellal appeared, Gray at his side.

"This is Gray," Jellal said, remembering that neither Sting nor Rogue had actually met Gray in the past, even though Gray had been one of the first Angels in Magnolia.

The men exchanged handshakes.

"It's good to see you both," Jellal smiled, "How are things? Quieter, I hope."

Sting nodded, "Much. It's good to have Magnolia somewhat back to normal."

"And how's Natsu?" Gray asked anxiously.

Rogue and Sting exchanged glances.

"Gajeel has him out of town right now," Rogue said, "He's teaching him to drive."

"Mavis help us," Gray groaned.

Sting glanced at the stack of papers on his desk, "You have no idea."

"But he's doing well at everything else," Rogue informed them, "He's quite good at filling out paperwork and he's sharp. He picks up on things quickly."

"We had a little trouble explaining to other officers why Gajeel would be allowed to take work-time to teach Natsu how to drive," Sting said, "but generally, he's well-liked and fits in just fine. Of course, this is only his first week. The older officers generally leave the rookies alone for the first week…then they get razzed a lot."

"Do you know if Natsu has met Lucy yet?" Jellal asked.

"Not by the sounds of it," Rogue said slowly, "Gajeel is frustrated. He and Levy have tried everything they can think of."

"We'll be around today," Jellal said, "Our superiors want to know how Natsu is adjusting. We'll just kind of…stay out of the way. Gajeel doesn't know we're here yet, so maybe we can catch up to him and see if we can help with the Natsu/Lucy meeting thing."

Sting nodded, "We'll help in any way we can."

Jellal and Gray _transported_ out of the police station to the corner of a roof overlooking the city. Gray was pleased with the new set of _abilities._ The longer range _transport_ had come in handy on the two missions he'd already been on. Now he understood why Gajeel liked being part of Crime Sorciere so much. In the past two days, he'd been trained by talking a man down from robbing a store and also deterring some would-be arsonists into deciding not to go through with the crime. All without being seen. Gray _loved_ the work. Moreover, Juvia was right by his side, learning the same things he was. She was still having a bit of trouble mastering her new _abilities_ , but they got to spend a lot of time together. He was _happy._

"We're not likely to see Natsu and Gajeel immediately," Jellal said to Gray, "so we might as well check in on Lucy."

Gray nodded, "I suspect Juvia is already there. She's been anxious to see how her employees are doing."

"You're getting along well," Jellal commented.

Gray snickered, "Almost as well as you and Erza."

Jellal chuckled, then _transported_ , Gray following close behind.

* * *

Lunch was over and the 8-Island crew was splitting apart for the day. It was now late in the afternoon. They would have to wait for the gentleman bring them a list of suggested contractors before they could go any further on their plans, so they weren't likely going to meet the next day.

Lucy waved goodbye to Cana, Lisanna, Virgo, and Mest as she, Laki, Kinana, and Loke walked in the opposite direction.

"We're enrolling in Magnolia University this week!" Laki excitedly told Lucy, "I can't wait. I loved my first year of Law courses. I never dreamed I'd get to finish my training!"

Lucy grinned, "I'm so glad you're part of us, Laki."

"Me too," Kinana agreed, "It's going to be busy, juggling schooling and trying to get the building built."

"That's why it's good there's so many of us," Loke stated, "There's enough of us that we can trust each other to handle things when others aren't available."

"We do work well together," Lucy agreed.

"This is where we go the other direction," Kinana said, pointing toward a street to the left.

They waved goodbye, Loke continuing to walk with Lucy.

They walked toward the park, shuffling their feet as they went. The sun was shining. It was an immaculate day. Lucy stretched, loving the fact that she no longer had to hide behind the sweater she always wore before Dan and Samuel were caught. It felt good to be free and able to be out in public with no reservations.

"You look happy," Loke commented.

"I _am_ happy," Lucy admitted, "It's been a long time since I've been able to do whatever I want. We have a business venture that I believe in, the sun is shining, and I think it's finally dawning on me just what it means to be free of Dan and Samuel. I get to figure out who I am again."

Loke smiled, admiring her as she jogged ahead a bit.

"I wake up in the morning," she yelled back to him, "And I don't check to make sure the front door is still locked. I walk to my meetings with you and the others…and I don't care if people see my face on the way there! I'm finally _free_ , Loke…and it's the best feeling in the world!"

He smiled, loving her carefree attitude as they came across the park. She stared at it for a minute, like she was contemplating something before she took off, jogging up the ladder of the slide. She threw her hands above her head and squealed with joy on the way down.

"Lucy, what are you doing?" Loke asked, glancing at the mothers who were eyeing Lucy.

"I'm having fun!" she declared, heading for the swing, "Push me!"

"Maybe we should go walk along the beach," Loke suggested.

She glanced at him, realizing he was embarrassed.

"Sorry," she said, "It's just…"

"Don't worry about it," Loke said quickly, "Do you want to go for that walk?"

Feeling her adrenaline flatline, Lucy nodded, falling into step beside Loke as they left the park behind.

* * *

Juvia frowned. It made her happy that everything got along as well as they did, but it concerned her that Loke was going out of his way to spend time with Lucy. He lived on the same end of town as Virgo and Lisanna, so it made no sense that he'd walked to this end of town unless he was trying to spend time with Lucy. She really hoped that he wasn't trying for something. Lucy was promised already. She just didn't know it yet.

* * *

"I nailed that course the third time!" Natsu insisted, "You have to admit it!"

Gajeel got out of the tiny Sprint, literally falling to the ground and kissed it dramatically. Sting, Rogue and Gildarts wandered outside, chuckling at the display. Gildarts frowned, noting the steam coming out of Cana's engine.

"There was a course in the forest outside Magnolia!" Natsu told Sting, light in his eyes, "It was like an obstacle course. I think I'm ready for the squad car!"

He threw the keys at Gildarts.

"Say thanks to your daughter for me! I'm going to go get my stuff so we can go home," Natsu headed for the door.

"They were trees," Gajeel said flatly, his arms covering his eyes as he lay sprawled on the ground, "It wasn't an obstacle course. _They were trees."_

"Was it that bad?" Rogue asked as he, Gildarts, and Sting surrounded Gajeel.

"Mommy," Gajeel squeaked, pretending to suck his thumb.

He got off the ground as the other men laughed.

"My bubble wrap," Gajeel said, ripping the sheets of plastic off his body, "has all popped."

The men glanced at each other, shocked to see that that much was true.

"Did Cana's car live?" Gildarts asked slowly.

"Pretty sure he killed the clutch," Gajeel stated, "And as you can see, the engine is still smoking."

Gildarts shook his head.

"Don't worry about it," Sting put a hand on Gildarts' shoulder, "I'll tell you what. The precinct will buy it as a training vehicle. We'll pay you $500 for it. That's more than it's worth. Use the money to surprise Cana with a new car. She'll love you for it."

Gildarts nodded, "Thanks Sting."

Turning on his heel, he headed for the door of the precinct.

Jellal and Gray appeared as soon as Gildarts disappeared.

"Looks like you have things well in hand," Jellal quipped.

"Hey guys," Gajeel sighed, throwing his popped bubble wrap in a nearby garbage can, "This is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"We've got to get him driving though," Rogue said, "That's an integral part of being a cop. Unless you can see Natsu sitting behind a desk his whole career."

They all stared at each other for a moment, then shook off the thought. There was no way Natsu Dragneel could work behind a desk all the time.

"I can take a crack at it tomorrow," Gray suggested, "He won't remember me so you can tell him you brought me in to teach him."

"Or I could do it," Jellal said, "I'm a master at guiding people to change their bad habits."

"You died when you were 13," Gajeel quipped, "You've never driven a car in your existence."

Jellal paused, looking at his feet, "Good point."

"How's it going with making them meet?" Gray asked Gajeel.

Gajeel sighed, "Like I said…being a Guardian Angel is a _lot_ harder than being in Crime Sorciere. We're having dinner at Levy's tonight. She's going to cook and we're going to try to have dinner with Natsu and Lucy."

"Leave the lessons to me," Gray stated, glancing back to the car, "Um…do you think that's fixable?"

"I'll take care of it," Rogue said, "I've got a couple hours tonight since Laki's going to the movies with Kinana and Virgo."

"Then I'll keep watch at your dinner tonight," Jellal suggested, "Maybe I can help you _nudge_ them a bit."

Their plans made, Jellal and Gray disappeared.

Natsu came out of the building at that point, gym bag in hand, "Gajeel, I'll drive home, okay?"

Gajeel shook his head emphatically, "Squad car! You can't drive it yet! _I'll_ drive home!"

As Natsu and Gajeel pulled out of the parking lot, Sting glanced at Rogue, then at the Sprint.

"You really think you can fix that thing?"

Rogue shook his head, "Nope. Not a chance in hell."

* * *

Gajeel was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a shirt. He looked sharp, much more dressed up than usual. Natsu wore blue jeans and a shirt, but he kept pulling at the collar. He hated dress shirts.

"Tell me again why I'm coming with you to have dinner with your girlfriend?" Natsu asked.

"She has a roommate. Since we're eating in, we thought it would be nice if you and the roommate could talk. You don't really know anyone in Magnolia. Thought it would be good for you," Gajeel stated.

Natsu shrugged as they walked up to the door of the apartment building. Gajeel rang the buzzer.

"It's us!" he announced when Levy answered.

She buzzed them, meeting them in the hallway when the elevator brought them to the second floor.

' _Lucy's not here yet!'_ she mouthed.

Gajeel squinted, unable to read her lips. She sighed in frustration.

"Come in!" she said, gesturing inside the apartment, "Dinner's almost ready. I put the animals away in Lucy's room so you don't have to worry about them. Plue doesn't like men much. Lucy isn't back from work yet, but I'm sure she'll walk in any minute."

' _Lucy's not here?!_ ' Gajeel mouthed to her in a panic.

Levy sighed. They were going to have to work on their communication skills.

"How are you liking Magnolia, Natsu?" Levy asked, pouring her noodles into a large bowl. She mixed the sauce, preparing to combine the two dishes.

"I like it!" Natsu confirmed. He glanced around the apartment, "Nice place!"

"Thank you," Levy smiled, "It's home sweet home! _Lucy_ and I have lived here for about 6 months now."

"You have animals?" Natsu asked. He'd wandered into the living room, picking up the Wii U controller, then placing it back on the coffee table. Happy's dish was on the coffee table too. He glanced at it, then wandered over to the balcony doors. He liked the view.

"A dog and a cat," Levy said slowly, glancing at Gajeel. Both were wondering if anything would jog Natsu's memory.

"I'd love to meet them," Natsu replied, "I love animals. When I was little, we had a big bull dog we called Laxus."

Gajeel spat out his drink, spraying it all over the table. Gajeel could hear Gray and Jellal snickering in the background. Levy chucked a cloth at him so he could clean up the table.

"Really?" Levy commented in an even voice, "You must have loved him very much."

"He was kind of hard-headed actually," Natsu said, "He didn't listen too well. I'd love to meet your animals."

"Lucy doesn't usually let Plue around men," Levy stated, "He gets protective."

Natsu hummed his acceptance of that answer, coming back to sit at the table with Gajeel, making small talk as Levy finished making dinner.

Gray felt his phone vibrate. He glanced down at it briefly, realizing he had a text from Juvia.

' _911 – Lucy is with Loke – they're at a dance club and they're drinking!'_

Gray's eyes went wide. He tapped Jellal's shoulder, showing him the text.

They glanced back at the table. Levy was still making small talk with Natsu. Gajeel was pouring himself another rum and Coke, but he was clearly upset that Lucy hadn't arrived. Their plans to make Natsu and Lucy meet had fallen through once again.

But that was a lot less important right now than the fact that Lucy was out with Loke.

Gray tapped in a quick message, sending it to Levy's phone, then _transported_ out of the apartment with Jellal.

* * *

Lucy laughed, watching Loke slam the shooter down onto the table. They had had their walk, but Loke wasn't ready to go home. After a light supper, Loke suggested coming to the night club. Lucy was emphatic that she didn't really like loud places, but he'd insisted. Since he'd gotten a few drinks into her, Lucy was starting to relax a little.

"That's five!" she claimed with glee, "Face it, Loke! I beat you!"

He rolled his eyes, "Maybe I _let_ you beat me."

"Again!" she grinned, gesturing to the barkeeper for another round.

Loke glanced around the bar. There was a DJ tonight. There were a lot of couples out on the floor. He was feeling tipsy. They'd been playing Rock, Paper, Scissors for shots. While it was true Lucy had won the majority of the rounds, Loke had managed to get her once or twice too.

Juvia was incredibly worried. She was seeing the look of lust in Loke's eyes. He was a good man and he would never take advantage of a woman, especially a drunk one, but that didn't calm her nerves at all. Honestly, if she was alive, she might even be _happy_ that he liked her…but knowing that she belonged with Natsu made the flirtations wrong. It was neither Lucy nor Loke's fault that they didn't realize it. Still, Juvia needed a way to turn things off before they could get turned on…or Lucy's chances with Natsu might plummet even further.

The more they drank, the more Juvia noted Loke's hand on Lucy's shoulder…or her knee.

She hadn't mastered knocking things over while still being invisible. She knew it was done in _transparency,_ but she also knew if she ran into someone, they could discover her. She didn't dare. She searched around the room desperately for a way to keep them apart. She closed her eyes, wishing that Gray and Jellal would hurry up.

"I wanna dance!" Loke yelled over the crowd as the music picked up. He grabbed her hand, pulling her out to the floor.

"I don't know how to dance!" she yelled back, "It's late! Levy will be wondering where I am! I should go home!"

He gave her puppy dog eyes. Lucy wondered who taught men these things.

"Okay fine! One dance! Then I've got to go home!"

He secured his hand over hers, leading her out to the dance floor and started moving to the music. Lucy copied his movements awkwardly, then started to relax as she started to enjoy the music. Juvia glanced around, trying to find a way – any way – that she could stop them from getting any closer.

Loke grinned, moving his body closer to Lucy's as she started to move with more confidence.

Juvia saw the blur of Gray's form flitting in the shadows to the dance floor only barely. Jellal appeared beside her, glancing around the room for another emergency measure. She breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Whoa, buddy!" Loke exclaimed as he felt someone push between Lucy and himself, turning to the person beside him, "Watch where you're going, okay?"

The man frowned, "Didn't touch ya, man."

Loke turned back to Lucy, a wide grin on his face as he resumed dancing, slowly inching closer to her. He reached out to put his arm behind her back to bring her completely against his body.

Gray searched the room for Jellal. They needed to do something...fast.

Jellal crept up behind the DJ. He pulled the cords that powered the stereo, killing the music instantly. Juvia wanted to slap herself. Why didn't _she_ think of that?

Lucy and Loke wavered on their feet as the lights came back on so that employees could figure out what happened to the music. Suddenly alarmed at how close they were in proximity, Lucy stepped back, her eyes wide.

"I should go," Lucy said, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

"They'll have the music up again in a minute," Loke said hopefully.

She shook her head, "Thank you for a fun night, Loke…but I should go. My roommate is going to kill me."

He laughed, "I've lived alone for so long, I forget what it's like to have to report to someone."

"Weren't you dating some red-haired girl a couple months back?" Lucy asked, "And a brunette after that?"

It was a running joke at 8-Island. Loke was rarely with the same girl for long, but he was _always_ with someone.

He shrugged, "Yeah. I guess. It didn't work out. With either. What about you? Are you and that guy still dating?"

Lucy frowned, opening her mouth to ask 'what guy' when the music started back up.

"I'll walk you home!" Loke yelled over the music.

"I'm good!" Lucy replied, "I'll get a cab!"

She pulled out her cell phone, dialing the number.

"If that guy is out of the picture," Loke said once they'd gone outside to wait for the cab, "maybe you'd consider giving me a chance?"

She looked at his face for a moment, still wondering 'what guy'.

Jellal, Gray, and Juvia started to panic again. They were outside now. There wasn't a lot around that could help them with a distraction.

"I'm sorry, Loke," she said finally, "I like you, but I don't feel that connection with you."

Loke looked down at his feet, dejected. All three Angels let out an audible sigh of relief. Thankfully, no one was around to hear them.

"I've had fun over the last several days," Lucy said softly, squeezing his hand, "I think we make incredible friends and I have every intention of continuing to hang out with you...but I don't want to mess that up by throwing more into the mix. I think we should just be friends."

Loke paused for a moment, his face falling with disappointment. This was the second time she'd turned him down. He nodded, forcing a smile to her, "Okay. I can live with that."

All three of the Angels felt weights lift off their shoulders as Lucy's cab arrived. She waved at Loke and got in, lost in her own little world as the cab driver took her to her apartment building.

She _did_ think that Loke was a good friend. She _didn't_ want to mess it up. But there was something else preventing her from agreeing to a real date with Loke, despite the fact that Levy had been constantly interfering to plant doubt into Lucy's mind about him. It was an inexplicable nagging in her heart that it was wrong.

 _She felt like someone was waiting for her._

* * *

Lucy opened the apartment door as quietly as she could. She was surprised to see the lights were on.

Levy was seated at the kitchen table, worried tears streaming down her face.

"Levy!" Lucy exclaimed, rushing to her friend, "What happened?"

Levy glanced up at Lucy, "Where have you been?"

Lucy was dumbfounded. Even during their time running from Dan and Samuel, she had never seen Levy so upset that she came home later than expected. The tear stains on Levy's face bent Lucy's heart in half. They hadn't made up last night. That was unusual. Usually, they always worked out their differences quickly.

"I went out with Loke," Lucy said softly, taking Levy's hands.

"You didn't text me," Levy stated.

"I love you, Lev," Lucy said solemnly, "But you're not my mother. We're not running anymore. I didn't think it would be a problem for me to go have some fun tonight."

Levy glanced down at her hands.

"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered, "I didn't mean to scare you. I guess this 'being free' stuff is going to take some getting used to, isn't it?"

Levy nodded, "I'm sorry too. I had Gajeel over tonight…and he brought his new roommate, who is the new rookie at the police station. I…thought we'd all have supper together."

Lucy sighed, "Sorry."

Levy glanced up at her, "I really wanted you to spend some time with us, Lucy. I really like him. It's important to me that you like him too."

Lucy hugged her friend, "I'm sorry, Levy. I'll pay more attention to my phone. I promise. And I'll be more considerate of your feelings."

Levy nodded again, thankful that this hadn't turned into the confrontation she'd half been expecting. Lucy didn't know Levy's alternate motives for the dinner party...or any other set up she and Gajeel had concocted in the past couple days. She didn't understand why it upset Levy so much to learn that Lucy was out with Loke again. Or why she kept trying to interfere with their plans.

But in the interest of peace with her best friend, Lucy had resolved to not react tonight. Levy was important to her. Maybe she was just adjusting to their new lives as free women.

"I'm going to bed," Lucy said quietly, pouring herself a glass of water. She reached for the aspirin, popping two in her mouth to prevent a possible hangover in the morning.

Levy nodded again as Lucy left her alone in the dining room.

"It's okay, Shrimp...nothing happened," Gajeel said, coming out of the shadows.

Levy nodded, unable to find words. She had never _been_ so worried. It would be disastrous if Lucy and Loke got together. Lucy might lose her chance to be with Natsu forever.

"She told Loke she wasn't interested," Jellal said as he appeared, Gray beside him.

"But we need to start getting serious about getting those two to meet," Gray added, "That was too close."

Juvia appeared beside Gray, reaching for his hand. He squeezed it, looking her over to make sure she wasn't too upset. She smiled up at him, wordlessly expressing to him that she was fine.

All five sat down at the table. They needed a solid plan.

* * *

The next day, Lucy grinned as Lisanna and Virgo signed their names at the bottom of the contract, okaying the start of construction.

"I'll start making a list of contractors and have it to you within a day or two. It's a pleasure doing business with you," the man said, tilting his hat. He walked away from the currently empty parking lot.

"We've got gotten over our first hurdle!" Kinana cheered, "Our blueprints are drawn and now we can start hiring contractors!"

"We should celebrate!" Mest said, "Let's go have some lunch!"

The entire group was in high spirits as they walked toward the nearest diner.

Juvia sat on an empty bench and watched them pass by before getting up to follow them.

She hadn't mastered all of her new _abilities_ yet, but she was good at sitting out of the way using _transparency_.

A tear rolled down her cheek. She had gotten close enough to see the floor plan of 'Juvia's'. They knew her well. They had planned it out exactly the way she would have wanted it. There was a was large dining area, but they had allowed for a stage to be off to one side. The bar area was large enough for the whole staff to stand behind the counter if needs be and there was a window where the meals could be placed for pick up between the bar and the kitchen. The kitchen itself was even planned the way she would want it. There was ample counter room and they had planned for large ovens – three of them – along with a couple fryers, a mixing machine, and other sweet tidbits she wished she had taken the time to invest in. There was a large storage area and an office reminiscent of Juvia's old office, complete with the locker area for the girls.

For the first time since she'd passed away, Juvia truly missed being alive. She wanted so badly to contribute to the plans. She wanted to laugh with her staff and forget about the anguish of never seeing them again.

Another tear slipped down her face. Lucy was right in the middle of everything, laughing and pointing out small details. It also pleased Juvia to see they had adopted the girl from the library – Laki too. Laki also said her ideas out loud, gaining praise from the other staff as they planned out how the 2nd and 3rd floors would look. The 4th floor would be split into two apartments for the victims to stay in.

Juvia could not be prouder. She followed at a safe distance, joining the crew as they gathered around a table to order lunch.

The waiters brought a pitcher of beer, distributing a full glass to each of them.

"To Juvia!" Mest lifted his glass high, "May you find peace in the afterlife."

"TO JUVIA!" the other staff echoed.

Juvia could barely hear the clinking glass over her own sobs. She missed them all. She missed them so much.

* * *

Sting's phone went off. He grinned a little to himself, realizing it was the text tone he'd picked out for Yukino.

 _'I think I forgot my wallet at your place last night.'_

 _'Then perhaps you should come pick it up tonight,'_ he texted back.

 _'You know it's going to start looking suspicious if we show up to work together again tomorrow,'_ she texted.

He paused, smiling to himself as he contemplated the night before. He and Yukino had clicked last night in a way he's never clicked with any other woman before. They'd ended up at Sting's place for a passionate night. It felt right. And he wanted to know more.

' _I know,'_ he wrote, ' _I'll see you tonight.'_

* * *

A few hours later, Levy furrowed her eyebrows as she watched Lucy sit with Loke at a local coffee shop. There had been 6 almost-meets between Natsu and Lucy during the past few days. No matter what Gajeel and Levy did to facilitate a meeting, it always seemed to end in either a near-miss, or either Lucy or Natsu refusing to go along with the plan.

She was going to _hurt Loke_. Not literally, but her temper was getting shorter. It seemed like he was always around. Lucy claimed to Levy that they were friends. Levy was having problems seeing Loke as anything but the enemy.

She walked to the bathroom, coming out in solid form.

"Lucy!" she exclaimed, "Imagine running into you here!"

Lucy smiled at her friend, trying to keep the strain out of her voice. She was trying...she kept from blowing her lid last night, but Levy was still interfering, "You know, it's strange, Lev...we seem to be running into each other everywhere lately...the grocery store...the mall...it's almost like you always know just where I'm going to be!"

Levy ignored the slight tone in Lucy's voice, "Will you be home tonight? Gajeel and I were thinking it would be fun to go hot-tubbing and we wanted to know if -"

"Loke and I are catching a movie tonight, Levy," Lucy interrupted.

Levy couldn't hide the disappointment in her face, "Oh. Okay. Well, what if we _all_ went to the movie?"

Lucy shook her head, "I'll see you later tonight, okay?"

Levy nodded, turning to walk away. She could see Lucy and Loke whispering, but tried not to let it hurt her. Lucy had apologized last night, but it was obvious that Levy was really getting under her skin. She didn't want that.

She was off to find Gajeel. Maybe if Lucy was hard to convince, Natsu wouldn't be.

* * *

"A movie?" Natsu repeated, glancing at Gajeel.

They were back at Gajeel and Natsu's house. Natsu was curled up on the couch with a tub of ice cream and a comfortable blanket. It was obvious he wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere.

Gajeel nodded, Levy's face alight beside him.

He thought it was really odd how Levy and Gajeel were always pushing him to do things with them. They were a couple...why did they want him hanging around too? Like some kind of third wheel?

"Why don't the two of you go? It'll be like a date!" Natsu suggested, "Besides...as you can see, I'm already watching a movie. I'm really comfortable. I wasn't really planning on going anywhere."

"But you're still new in town. We don't want you to be lonely," Levy said brightly, "It'll be fun."

Natsu shook his head slowly, "That's okay. I'll stay home tonight. I have driving lessons in the morning and I want to be rested for them."

Gajeel audibly groaned. He was still traumatized over today's lessons since Gray was busy with a Crime Sorciere mission. They had been practicing parallel parking between two garbage cans. Natsu managed to flatten both garbage cans and almost killed a cat. Over the past 3 days, Gajeel had been the butt of jokes at the precinct. Natsu could do all his other rookie duties well, but the driving wasn't coming along. Not even a little bit. So it must be Gajeel's fault. He was more than happy to pass the task off to Gray tomorrow.

"Okay," Gajeel said, taking Levy by the elbow and guiding her from the room, "I'll be home later. Don't wait up."

"Wasn't planning on it," Natsu said nonchalantly.

"This is impossible," Levy sighed as they walked out to Gajeel's squad car. He still hadn't bought a new vehicle.

Levy shook her head. It seemed like every attempt to get Natsu and Lucy to meet failed. Her heart was heavy as they drove back to Levy's apartment, deciding on a movie and dinner there since Gajeel refused to tail Lucy and Loke.

"It's not impossible," Gajeel argued, "It will happen. We just have to be patient."

* * *

Levy got up early the next morning. She hadn't heard Lucy come home last night. The wheels in her head were turning again.

Last night, she'd made Gajeel promise to take Natsu to the mall. She was planning on taking Lucy to do some shopping. It would be a great place to run into each other 'accidentally'. Plus, maybe if they walked by the place where Natsu and Lucy had nabbed the purse thief, something would make them realize they'd been there together before.

"Good morning!" she said brightly, going into Lucy's room, "I brought you coffee!"

Lucy groaned, bringing the pillow over her head, "No coffee right now, Lev. Still sleeping."

Levy frowned, placing the coffee on Lucy's night stand.

"Do you want to go shopping this morning?" she asked, "I know that you could use some new clothes."

Lucy sighed, "I want to _sleep_ , Lev. The contractors for 'Juvia's' will be ready to start construction soon and then I'll be busy everyday again."

Levy felt tears prick her eyes. She turned away in case Lucy happened to look up at her.

"Maybe in awhile?" she asked quietly.

Lucy didn't answer.

Levy closed the door behind her and reached for Plue's reach. Her disappointment made both Plue and Happy cock their heads at her, giving her sympathetic looks.

"C'mon, Plue," she said in a monotonous tone. Sighing heavily, they walked out the door.

* * *

"I don't know why I need new pants," Natsu complained.

"You're a cop now," Gajeel grumbled, "You need to be presentable."

It was mid-afternoon. It had been another morning of harrowing driving lessons. Gajeel wasn't sure Natsu would _ever_ be a good driver. He'd explained the concept of 'speed limit' to him multiple times. Today, Natsu had taken out the rear taillights of Cana's car when he backed up into a telephone pole. Natsu _was_ putting in the effort not to speed, but he still needed to learn the art of following traffic rules.

Natsu trudged along after Gajeel begrudgingly as Gajeel led him to a men's clothing store. Half an hour later, they'd walked out with 3 new pairs of pants, 3 pairs of jeans, and a couple casual shirts for Natsu. Gajeel glanced at his watch. It was time to meet Levy and Lucy by the escalators.

"Gajeel, the car is _this_ way," Natsu reminded him, pointing in the opposite direction.

"I know. There's something I want to see...over there," Gajeel said. He kept walking.

Up ahead, he could see Levy and Lucy sitting at a bench, going through their purchases and showing each other the cute things they thought would look good on each other. Levy was much happier, so Gajeel figured Lucy must have agreed to the trip rather than being dragged.

"Levy! What a surprise running into you here!" Gajeel exclaimed, "Hi Lucy! Have you met my roommate, Natsu?"

He turned to gesture to Natsu, sighing audibly when he realized Natsu wasn't there.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, "Ummm..."

"He must have seen something he wanted to look at," Levy said, "I'm sure he'll be right along."

"I need to go," Lucy stated, "It's been a good afternoon, Lev. I'm glad we did this. But I've got to go home. I'm meeting Loke and Cana at the bowling alley tonight."

Gajeel and Levy both sighed as Lucy walked away. Another near-miss.

"3," Gajeel said.

"2."

"1," Levy finished.

Natsu approached them right at that moment, "Hi Levy! Where did you come from?"

He stared in utter confusion as Levy burst into tears.

* * *

 _ **THE END**_

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. _ **Okay, so it's not the end...there is ONE**_ **_more chapter._..**

 **... _Those of you that have been talking to me throughout the story know that if you PM me, I'm apt to deliver a spoiler or two..._**

 **.. _.and although it kills me, I really don't want to spoil anything because the last chapter is so ..._**

 ** _...there you go - making me spoil things again! Not gonna do it! Not gonna do it!_**

 ** _...So I will welcome your comments, PM's, likes, and follows..._**

 ** _...but I'm not giving out any spoilers. :0_**

 ** _Trust me...harder for me than you - I swear it!_**

 ** _LAST CHAPTER OF ANGEL OF OOPS - TO BE POSTED SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2016._**


	65. Chapter 65

_**It is a bittersweet day for me...Angel of Oops has been my obsession for 2 1/2 months.**_

 _ **I can hardly believe this is the last chapter...**_

 _ **Please enjoy - I trust it will be the ending you're hoping for :D**_

* * *

The alarm went off, blaring like a siren in Natsu's ear. He grabbed his pillow, smacking it several times before he heard the satisfying clunk of it hitting the floor and stopping. He rolled over, sighing with contentment at how comfortable he was.

Gray stood at the door, shaking his head. When he was on Earthland as an Angel, Natsu rarely slept in. In fact, often times, he had already been for a run and had breakfast before Gray had woken up. He wondered what Mavis had fed into his brain to make him so hard to rouse in the morning this time around.

"Rise 'n' shine, Princess!" Gajeel thundered into the room, dumping a large pot of cold water all over Natsu's blanketed form.

"What the hell?" Natsu screamed.

"You will _not_ be late today!" Gajeel told him, chucking Natsu's uniform at him, "Go have a shower – you stink!"

"How can you tell I stink from other there?" Natsu mumbled, getting out of bed. He lumbered toward the bathroom, "And in case you didn't notice, you just _gave_ me a shower."

He slammed the door.

"Wow," Gray said, coming out of the _shadows_ , "Isn't he a ray of sunshine."

Gajeel grinned, "So what's your plan for teaching him to drive?"

Gray had a glint in his eye, returning Gajeel's grin as he faded back into the _shadows_ , "Bribery."

Gajeel chuckled.

* * *

Lucy yawned, stretching her arms out as she threw her legs over the bed to get up. She glanced down to make sure she wouldn't step in anything.

"Good boy, Plue! I'm just going to run to the bathroom, then I'll take you outside!" she promised.

Plue thumped his tail. Happy was curled up into his side, getting thumped with the tail. He mewed, giving Plue a look of disgust, then padded off to the living room to get something to eat.

Lucy threw on her jogging pants and a t-shirt, then grabbed Plue's leash, "Lev! I'm taking Plue out!"

She paused, realizing Levy hadn't answered and wondered if maybe she was still sleeping.

Juvia smiled as she watched Lucy play with Plue after he'd done his business outside. She chased him around the grassy area, the dog hopping back and forth with glee. Lucy was _happy_. It warmed Juvia's heart to see her so happy.

Levy, however, was not happy.

"She's not meeting with 8-Island today," Levy said from beside her, "so I guess we'll just have to follow her. Gray and Gajeel promised to keep up updated of Natsu's whereabouts throughout the day."

"They'll be driving for the first couple hours," Juvia agreed, noting the look in Levy's eyes, "Are you okay, Levy?"

Levy continued to stare at Lucy, but she couldn't bring herself to answer Juvia. She hated the tension between herself and Lucy.

Lucy had worked up a sweat playing with Plue, but Plue was the happiest dog on Earthland as she re-attached him to his leash and started inside.

"What are going to do today?" she asked him as she they rode the elevator up to the second floor, "I have the whole day off!"

Plue barked, then whined as he got down into a crouching position. She laughed, "You goofy puppy. You're not done playing yet? Okay. You win. I'll spend the day with you today. We'll go for a walk."

Plue barked again, turning in an excited circle.

* * *

Gajeel pulled into the parking lot, casting Gray an amused glance as he spotted him standing with his arms folded. He had a semi-scowl on his face. Gray meant business.

He wore a police uniform that Sting had lent him so he could look the part. Before Natsu even had a chance to open the door, Gray was standing on his side of the car.

"Forgot to tell you you've got a new instructor," Gajeel lamented, "Oops. Sorry about that."

Natsu's eyes widened, looking over the tall, dark-haired man as he smirked at Natsu.

" _This_ is your problem student?" he huffed as Natsu got out of the car.

Gray cracked his knuckles, looking Natsu over from head to toe, "He doesn't _look_ all that problematic."

Natsu glanced behind him, presumably looking for another problem student. They couldn't possibly be talking about _him_. Sting had said he needed to slow down...but that didn't make him _problematic._

Gajeel hid a grin as he approached Gray, scrutinizing Natsu's appearance for himself. He fit his uniform well and he was neat in appearance, despite the fact that he literally dragged his butt out of bed 15 minutes ago, "And yet he completely demolished Gildarts' daughter's car yesterday. He's hot-headed. He doesn't think before he makes moves when driving. He's too cocky."

"I'm not cocky!" Natsu denied.

"Leave him to me," Gray said ominously.

Gajeel nodded, saluting to Natsu as he headed into the precinct, "I'm checking in with Sting and then I'm going car shopping. Have a good day, Natsu!"

Natsu's eyes widened, "Wait – Gajeel! Who is this guy?"

Gray slinked an arm around Natsu's shoulders, grinning like a mad-man, "I'm your new instructor."

Natsu cringed, "Um…okay."

"Name's Gray," Gray told him as they headed for the cars in the corner of the lot. The old Sprint was there, looking just as rough as it did yesterday. Natsu guessed Rogue hadn't had much luck with it.

"This is what we're driving today," Gray told Natsu, pulling his arm when Natsu automatically went for the Sprint, "It was picked it up this morning just for you."

There was an older Chevrolet Cavalier in the parking, red in colour. It was in remarkably good shape.

Natsu admired it. He liked the colour and the shape of the car, even if it was older.

"Here's the deal," Gray said, tossing him the keys. They sat in the car for a moment, Natsu starting to perform the perimeter checks just like Gajeel taught him, "Gajeel and I go way back. I told him I could do a better job teaching you to drive than he could…"

Natsu glanced at him. As far as he was concerned, he thought his driving education was going really well. He failed to see what the problem was.

"…so we made a bet," Gray continued, "By the end of the day, I need to have you driving like a regular person, safety precautions and all. There will be no more speeding, unless you're in pursuit of a suspect, _which_ you're nowhere near ready for yet. You will learn to parallel park and you will learn when it's appropriate to pass, turn, and take the right of way."

"In one day?" Natsu asked, "Gajeel wouldn't even take me into town."

"In one day," Gray confirmed, "And do you know _why_ you're going to comply with me and do everything I say?"

Natsu shook his head, suddenly intrigued by the look in Gray's eye.

* * *

Cana Alberon sat at her kitchen table, trying to understand why the pink-haired man from her father's work had seemed so…'off' to her. She just couldn't place it.

She pulled out her cards, flipping them one by one. She asked the cards about Natsu and what was going on in his life.

 _Change. A new beginning._

She remembered the day that Lisanna, Juvia, Laki, and Virgo had all been strapped to bombs. She found out a lot from her cards that night, but nothing so incredible as the suggestion that Angels had attended the entire nights' events. That night, the cards had been dead on. She wondered what changes could be happening in Natsu's life…changes that would completely alter Natsu's vibes. She didn't know Natsu, but she knew he'd been 'altered' somehow. She had been sure he was one of the Angels. But there was no sign of that now...no evidence to identify him as an Angel at all.

Since that fateful night, things had come together nicely for Cana and the other 8-Island employees. They were in the planning stages of their new venture. Cana had started having less nightmares about Dan and Samuel cutting her with the glass of a wine bottle or Lisanna blowing to a million pieces. She still thought about Juvia daily.

She couldn't place why Natsu had intrigued her so much. But she knew it had to do with everything that had happened. There was just no other explanation. But she sure couldn't identify what the change was, no matter how she looked at the cards.

She flipped her cards again, asking about Juvia, then sighed as she got the same result as the first time:

 _Change. A new beginning._

Everyone had received a new beginning. She had no doubt that the Angels that had come for Juvia were keeping her well looked after. It was a nice message…a message of hope.

Since she had the cards out anyway, there was another thing bothering her. Gildarts had been working overtime lately, trying to vie for her attention. He hadn't been there for her as a child. He had left her mother before her mother found out she was pregnant. Now, when Gildarts had come back to Magnolia, he was shocked when Cana stepped up to tell him that she was his. Suddenly, it became his mission in life to be the 'best dad ever'.

Cana shook her head. It was unlikely he'd be claiming _that_ title any time soon.

She asked the cards how she should handle Gildarts, dealing out a new spread. She chuckled to herself at the result. Sometimes it was like the cards had a sense of humour.

 _Change. A new beginning._

* * *

Levy and Juvia flanked Lucy as she walked down the street with Plue. Plue was beside himself with happiness as he stopped to sniff the odd bush or pole. It had been awhile since Lucy had spent so much time with him.

Levy nodded to Juvia, gesturing toward the park. She was texting back and forth with Gajeel, who was following Gray and Natsu during their driving lesson.

Levy was tutoring Juvia in a way, allowing her to do all the _nudging_ and whatnot to help her hone her Angel skills. She was a patient teacher, which was Juvia really appreciated. Sometimes Gray didn't understand when things didn't come naturally to her, although he was always kind to her. He picked up Mulligan abilities with no problem since he'd already mastered Cupid abilities, amongst many other types of abilities. Juvia was brand new to it all. Plus, Levy explained, most Angels started out at easier jobs, like seasonal, where human interaction wasn't necessary. She promised it would get easier.

Juvia _nudged_ Lucy, flashing Levy a triumphant grin when Lucy redirected Plue's path toward the park. Levy smiled her encouragement to Juvia as they followed.

Lucy sat a park bench, watching the children play as she sipped the coffee she'd picked up in town. She loved this park, although she wasn't entirely sure why. She had been more than a little disappointed when Loke refused to join her yesterday. She didn't see anything wrong with having a little fun.

But for now, she was content just to sit and watch the scenery. Plue found a stick to naw on.

Juvia pointed as a red car drove slowly into the parking lot, backing up perfectly straight into a parking spot.

"That's pretty good," Gray was saying, "Now let's turn it around and go in straight. I want to see how you back out."

Levy and Juvia glanced at Lucy. She was reading a book.

Natsu pulled forward slowly, checking his rear view mirrors, then doing a shoulder check as he positioned the vehicle to come straight into the spot.

"Good!" Gray praised him, "Great shoulder checking…appropriate speed."

He glanced across the park at Lucy, sitting on the bench, absorbed in her book.

"Let's go for a little jog," Gray suggested, "It's important to keep the body limber. Sitting in a car for awhile can make the muscles bunch up."

Natsu obeyed, getting out of the vehicle and locking it. He checked the handles of the doors to be sure they were secure, running his hand over the smooth red paint.

Gray snickered.

Together, they broke out into a light jog, crossing the park toward Lucy's bench.

Levy glanced at Juvia, nodding to her.

Juvia _nudged_ Lucy, who looked up from her book as a child fell off the swing and was crying to his mother.

 _Put the book away, Lucy_. Juvia silently begged her.

Plue cocked his head at Lucy, as if to ask if it was walking time again. She put her book away, bending down to take his leash off, then picked his stick up to throw it for him.

Both Levy and Juvia cried out in frustration. As Lucy bent down to pick up the stick, _that's_ when Gray and Natsu jogged by the bench. Natsu was oblivious to the pretty blonde with the dog since her back was turned and he couldn't see her face. Gray jogged backwards for a moment, shrugging his shoulders.

Running was satisfying for Natsu. He loved the feel of the motion of his legs. He glanced back to Gray, who was several metres behind him.

"Too hard for you, Ice Cube?"

Gray growled, "No chance. However, I _am_ thinking it's almost time for lunch. How would you like to try parallel parking at the restaurant I have in mind?"

Natsu's eyes lit up, coming to a stop and switching direction.

Lucy threw the stick for Plue again as the men approached. Both Juvia and Levy held their breaths, hoping this time they would catch each other's eye. Plue was digging in the bushes, looking for the last throw.

"You goofy dog!" Lucy scolded, heading for the bushes to help him retrieve the stick.

Natsu and Gray jogged by the second time, Gray throwing his hands out to the girls in frustration when Lucy didn't even look up as she dug in the bush for Plue's stick. Plue cocked his head, trying to look around Lucy for a moment. He could _smell_ Natsu. Getting excited, he pushed Lucy aside, bounding toward Natsu, but at the last second, he ran smack into Gray, knocking him to his butt.

"I'm so sorry!" Lucy gushed, rushing over to help Gray get off the ground, "I swear! He has no manners sometimes!"

Gray was rubbing his ass as he stood, "Really, it's not a problem."

"I'll leash him," Lucy promised.

Gray glanced toward Natsu, who was most of the way to the car now. DAMNIT! Why had Gray been running on the right? If he had stayed on the left, it would be Natsu talking to Lucy right now. Natsu wasn't looking back to see that Gray wasn't following. It was yet another missed chance to get them to meet.

"It's all good," Gray repeated. He glanced toward where he thought Levy and Juvia would be, "I'm going to the Olive Pantry now for lunch."

She stared at him, cocking one eyebrow. That was an odd thing to mention...was he flirting with her?

"Okay then...goodbye!"

Lucy re-leashed Plue, then started off in the other direction.

Gray shrugged toward Levy and Juvia. Natsu was in the car. The engine was started and he tapped his fingers impatiently on the window sill. He had to go. He and Natsu were due back at the station after lunch. Natsu still had other aspects of the job to learn.

Levy and Juvia both sighed. They'd been _so close_ this time! It was almost like fate was twisting their efforts.

* * *

Natsu pulled into the police station at a slower speed, watching for things that might dart out between cars. He glanced at the spot he wanted to park in and did a perfect parking job.

"Unbelievable," Gajeel said under his breath. Sting and Rogue beside him both chuckled.

Natsu shut the car off and got out of the vehicle, locking it once Gray was also out. He walked around the car to make sure there were no hazards to the paint job.

"He did awesome today!" Gray announced as they got close, "I think we've just about got it mastered."

"How..." Rogue watched as Natsu cast a wave.

"Gajeel! Did you see me?" Natsu asked, proudly beaming as he approached the stunned group. He glanced at the brand new black Dodge Challenger sitting in the shade, "Oohhh...that's the new car?"

"Yes," Gajeel stated, "And I don't care _how_ well you just drove in here...you're not driving it."

Natsu shrugged, "All good, buddy. I don't _want_ to drive it. I'm going to check in."

Sting's mouth dropped open, "This morning he was _begging_ Gajeel for the chance to drive his new car. Now he acts like he couldn't care less. Furthermore, he damn near killed Gajeel yesterday...and now he looks like he's always had a licence...are you sure you brought back the same Natsu? What did you do?"

Gray grinned, "The trick to learning anything fast is _motivation..._ I offered him the Cavalier. I told him that _if_ he learned to drive to my standards, the car was his to keep."

"Um...You do know that's the car that Gildarts bought Cana, right?" Rogue asked, "He bought it yesterday. He hasn't even presented it to her yet."

Gray slapped both Sting and Rogue on the back, "You wanted him driving legally, he's driving legally. Small price for the precinct to pay I think."

Gajeel let out a 'Gihihi' before following Gray to go check up on Natsu. He would make it right later by offering compensation for the car, but it was fun to let Sting think he'd be on the hook... just for a little while.

"And now you need to find another car for Cana before Gildarts finds out," Rogue muttered.

Sting and Rogue exchanged glances.

"Why do I feel like I just got suckered?" Sting shook his head.

Rogue chuckled lightly, earning a glare from his best friend. He paused, tilting his head slightly, then decided if Sting was going to be pissed off, he might as well piss him off completely.

"So...I noticed you and Yukino got here at the same time this morning."

Sting glanced at Rogue, shooting him a warning glare.

Rogue couldn't help but laugh again. He loved pissing off Sting.

* * *

Levy was pulling Lucy along the street, determined to march right up Gajeel and Natsu and make the introductions herself. She was horribly upset by the events of the afternoon. She declared to Gray, Gajeel, Jellal, and Juvia that she was 'done waiting for it to happen'.

"Lev!" Lucy protested. She ground her heels, forcing Levy to stop in her tracks, "What are you doing? Why are you pulling me like this?"

"Ice cream!" Levy said flatly.

"Ice cream!" Lucy repeated, "Levy, I don't _want_ ice cream!"

"Please Lucy!" Levy insisted, "Just come for ice cream with me."

"Why?" Lucy demanded, still holding back.

"Because Gajeel is meeting me there!" Levy had panic in her voice. She wasn't taking 'no' for an answer...not this time.

"Levy…what is going on with you?" Lucy asked, her eyebrows furrowed, "You've been acting weird for days. Are things okay with Gajeel? He's not…bad to you, is he? You're not afraid to be…alone with him or anything, right?"

Levy's eyes widened in alarm as she shook her head emphatically, "No! That's not it at all! Gajeel's amazing. He's sweet and he's funny and he's actually incredibly good to me!"

Lucy cocked her head, "Then explain it to me."

Levy's mouth dropped open as she panicked, trying to find a valid excuse on the fly. They had been told before they left Heaven that they could not – under any circumstances – _tell_ Lucy and Natsu they were meant to be together.. It was okay to introduce them, but they were not allowed to push the romance by purposely indicating that they were pre-destined for each other.

Lucy's eyes were sad as she took Levy's hand, "I love you, Lev. I'll always love you…but Dan and Samuel can't come after us anymore. Before, we did what we had to out of necessity. We kept close tabs on each other because we _had_ to. But we're free now and I'd like the chance to spread my wings a bit."

"I'm not stopping you from spreading your wings," Levy gasped, a painful expression on her face.

"You're being very overbearing at times," Lucy told her, "and I feel a bit smothered."

Lucy's words hurt Levy as much as it would hurt to take a shovel to the face. She felt like she'd been punched in the stomach.

"I'm happy that you and Gajeel are doing well," Lucy said softly, "but I need to find my niche in the world too."

Levy felt a tear slide down her face.

Lucy smiled gently, "I love you, Lev. You're my best friend…that's never going to change. But I need some room to discover who I am now. I'll find time for you..I always will, but please stop pushing me to spend every moment with you and Gajeel."

Levy's mouth was open, but she had no words. A second tear fell down her cheek.

"I'll see you at home," Lucy said quietly.

Levy stood alone on the street, stunned as Lucy pivoted and headed off in the other direction. She knew Lucy was right in a way. She _had_ been smothering her...quite purposely actually, but she also didn't expect this reaction. Lucy had always done basically as Levy asked. They didn't socialize 'before' and they had never been normal teenagers. This was all new territory for Lucy...her first time with friends of her own _that she could remember._ Tears streamed down her face. Passersby glanced at her, whispering about going to see if she was okay, but nobody approached her. Nobody human anyway.

"She didn't mean it, Levy," Juvia said. She couldn't become visible in case someone recognized her, but she still sent a wave of comfort through her friend, "Lucy just doesn't understand what we're trying to do."

Jellal appeared next to Levy, taking care not to alert anyone on the street. He took her into his arms, hugging her gently as he sent a wave of peace through her, "We'll get them to meet somehow. But maybe you should take a back seat for a few days and let us work on it."

Levy didn't know when the rest of Crime Sorciere had arrived in Magnolia, but suddenly they were all there, each of them taking a turn to comfort her.

"I will replace you and follow Natsu and Lucy for a few days," Erza offered.

Levy swallowed her tears, forcing herself to calm down.

"It's fine," she said finally, "C'mon. Natsu, Gray and Gajeel are still waiting at the coffee shop."

* * *

Cana Alberon stood with her mouth agape as she looked over her Sprint. Gildarts watched her face. It was a piece of crap. Cana knew that…but it was the only piece of crap she had!

"Dad, I said you could _borrow_ the car…not pound it into oblivion!" she blurted out finally.

He was smiling.

"Dad, seriously! What the hell?"

He reached into his pocket, handing her the keys. Cana looked down at them.

"These aren't my keys, Pops," she said slowly.

"Yes, they are," Gildarts replied, "Cana, I know I'm not the world's best dad. It's my own fault that I was never there for you as a child. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But I want to change. I know it's too late to give you all sorts of 'fatherly advice' and whatnot…but can't you let me just _be your dad?_ "

She glanced at him, confused. The look in his eyes expressed his true remorse for not being around when she was a child. She quivered slightly. She'd always wanted him in her life. Maybe it was more that she didn't know _how_ to be in his life.

Slowly, she nodded.

His eyes lit up, "Then my first action as 'Dad' is to tell you you're not driving that piece of crap anymore."

Cana shook her head slowly, not full understanding. She glanced down at the keys, her eyes widening as his face spread out in a loving grin.

He pointed to the blue Honda Civic...a car Gajeel had picked up earlier that day to replace the red Cavalier that was now Natsu's.

"No way!" Cana yelled, "NO WAY!"

She ran to the car, opening it up and sitting in the driver's seat, checking it out. Compared to the Sprint, this car was loaded and in mint condition.

"I know you're going to be receiving Juvia's money soon," Gildarts said sheepishly, "And then you can get a brand-new car…but I don't want you in that death trap. You can drive this until you –"

"I'm not trading it for a brand-new car," Cana interrupted.

He glanced at her, eyebrows raised.

"I don't want gifts or lavish items," Cana said softly, "I want you to be _there_ for me. This car maybe isn't the newest or anything…but it's a gift from your heart because you want me to be safe…I'd say that's a pretty good start to finding some common ground...wouldn't you?"

Gildarts pulled her into his arms, burying her head into his shoulder so she wouldn't see his tears. Cana smiled into his shoulder. It felt good to be in his embrace. It felt really, really good.

One _might_ say it was a new beginning.

* * *

Natsu finished his ice cream, dropping the spoon at the bottom of the sundae cup with a satisfying clank.

He was sitting with Gray and Gajeel, elated over the praise he'd received for his changed driving habits. Tomorrow, he'd start learning inside the precinct again. Soon, Sting had said he might even let Natsu 'go on patrol' with Gajeel. _That_ thrilled him to no end. Furthermore, he loved his new car.

Natsu had signed the transfer papers for the Cavalier. It was now legally his. Gajeel had picked up a nice older Honda Civic and transferred it to Gildarts for his daughter. She had been thrilled to receive it. Next week, Natsu would attempt to take his road test.

"That was pretty good ice cream," Gray commented, casting a glance at Gajeel.

Gajeel shrugged and Natsu wondered what their private conversation was consisting of. They were obviously trying to communicate _something_.

The door clanged and Levy walked in with Jellal and Erza. They slid into the booth with Gajeel, Gray, and Levy. She looked somewhat upset.

"I'm going to go for a jog," Natsu informed everyone, standing up, "I need to work off that ice cream."

He headed for the door, deciding Gajeel needed some alone time with Levy to help her with whatever had upset her.

Gray held up his hand to protest, then happened to catch the look on Levy's face.

"Let him go," Jellal said softly, "Levy needs some sympathetic ears right now."

"We shall regroup and try again tomorrow," Erza slammed her fist into her own hand, declaring her determination.

Levy nodded, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll make them meet for sure."

* * *

Lucy regretted her words almost as soon as she'd said them. She closed the apartment door, sighing her frustration. She'd been moping about it for a half hour. Happy mewed as she rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"I didn't mean it," Lucy told him, "I mean, sure…it seems like Levy is still trying to protect me. I don't need protecting anymore…but she does everything she does out of love. Maybe it's her way of telling me she needs to spend a bit of quality time with me."

Happy mewed again. She picked up the kitten, cuddling him to her chest.

"You're right," she told him, "I'll tell her I'm sorry."

Happy purred, rubbing his head into her chest.

Plue came into the living room, pacing back and forth again.

"Alright Plue," Lucy sighed.

She placed Happy down on the couch, then grabbed Plue's leash to take him outside. She was in her own little world, thinking about Levy and their friendship as she walked with Plue toward town. She didn't mean to hurt Levy. And she had to admit to herself that she had been very stand-offish all week. Freedom was new to both of them. But Levy was important to her and she would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship or risk them growing apart. Lucy knew she had to apologize.

She pulled out her cell phone, tapping out a text to Levy. She saw the crosswalk light up as she wrote her message and started across the road, immersed in her text.

 _Levy…I'm sorry about what I said. I'm on my way to the ice cream shop now. I'm bringing Plue, so would you mind moving to an outside table?_

She pressed 'send', feeling peace wash over her. She and Levy rarely fought, let alone hurt each other as deeply as she'd hurt Levy today. She was sure they'd be quick to forgive each other…they always did.

She looked up as she heard the screeching of tires, glancing around the intersection. Her eyes widened as she saw the car barreling toward her. She couldn't move out of the way in time. It was too late.

* * *

Levy shook her head to herself as the other Angels continued to make conversation. She couldn't get it out of her head…the conversation with Lucy.

"I have to go find her!" Levy announced, interrupting whatever they were discussing.

"She's fine – she's at home," Gajeel said.

"I'll go check on her," Minerva suggested, "You should relax a bit."

"I don't _want_ to relax!" Levy argued, "I _want_ to go make up with Lucy."

She squeezed past Gajeel to get out from the table, heading for the door.

The rest of the Angels sat dumbfounded for a moment.

"We should go after her," Erik said, "Her Aura is off. She's nervous and worried."

All at once, the Angels scrambled for the door to follow Levy.

* * *

Natsu ran, loving the feeling of his muscles stretching out. It felt good to run. He'd always loved running since he was a kid.

He wasn't sure where he was going, but he decided after a moment that he'd run as far as the park, then go back to the ice cream shop to see what everyone else was planning to do for the evening.

He paused at an intersection, waiting for the light to turn. The crosswalk lit up, indicating it was safe to go. He was about to resume his run when he saw the speeding car, not slowing down for the crosswalk.

Natsu looked up, seeing a young girl with her dog crossing anyway. Her head was down, concentrating hard on writing a text on her cell phone.

 _She doesn't see the car!_ He realized.

He broke out into a run, pushing himself to gain the speed that he'd need. At the last second, he threw his body toward the girl, pushing her out of the way of the oncoming car, who honked as though it were the girl's fault.

Their bodies, dog included rolled on the pavement, Natsu protectively wrapping his body around hers to protect her from the asphalt. They rolled to a stop, Natsu's body still shielding her.

She groaned, moving slowly as he rolled over to let her out from underneath of him. He was aware of pain in his body, shooting wildly from at least three directions.

She got off the ground and began to brush herself off, "Thank you…I really didn't see that car…you saved our lives…"

She glanced at her rescuer, her eyes opening in horror as her dog tackled Natsu on the ground. At first, Lucy was pretty sure the dog was attacking him…then she realized the dog was actually excited to see him. And those weren't screams coming from Natsu.

Natsu _was laughing_ as Plue licked his face all over.

"I'm so sorry!" Lucy exclaimed, trying to pull him off with the leash.

Natsu was still laughing as he sat up, "I'm not! He made my day! That's a really nice dog you've got there."

Natsu glanced up, really seeing Lucy for the first time since his return to Earthland. He stopped laughing, dazzled by her absolute beauty. Her long blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her chocolate-brown eyes were wide with horror at what her dog had done.

Now Natsu understood what Gajeel meant…she took his breath away.

"Thank you," she said, "for saving us from that car."

She was the most beautiful woman on Earthland. She had to be. Everything about her was _perfect_.

"I'm usually a lot more careful when I cross the road," Lucy explained, "And Plue…He's really not like this. Normally, he's such a good dog. Usually, he doesn't even _like_ men. I'm actually really surprised that he-"

She looked down at the man on the ground, suddenly aware that he was staring at her. He was handsome in a way that she couldn't describe. His pink hair was tousled in every direction. Dark onyx eyes gazed up at her, drawing her in. He wore a white T-shirt and blue jeans…nothing spectacular, but his muscles bulged and she took the moment to admire them. He had a kindness in his eyes that took Lucy's breath away. Most of all, the way he _looked_ at her stopped her heart. His gaze was mesmerizing.

He stood up, trying not to wince at the pain in his knee and narrowed the gap between them as he studied her face.

"Why do I feel like I know you?" he asked softly.

She didn't know, but she felt it too. Their eyes were locked as they took in each other's features.

She shook herself back to reality, horrified as she noted his injuries. His jeans were ripped and he had abrasions all over his left arm. He had noticeable gash on his forehead, dripping a trail of blood dripping down his face.

"You're bleeding!" she said suddenly, grabbing his arm. She blushed again at their close proximity.

"It's a scratch," he almost whispered. His voice had been sucked away, replaced by curiosity.

She glanced down at her hand on his arm. Strangely, she realized the contact wasn't _weird_. It was like it was the most natural thing in the world to touch him.

"Your knee too," she stated, "You ripped your jeans."

"I'm okay," he promised.

She let go of his arm, stepping back slightly, "Come up to my apartment. I'll help you clean up."

He really wasn't worried about cleaning up, but he also wasn't ready to let her out of his sight. He couldn't explain why he was so drawn to her…but it was a magnetic pull. He needed to know more about her.

She pulled out her cell phone again, ripping off a quick text to Levy.

 _Small accident - I'm okay, but the man who saved me is hurt. I'm going to help him and then I'll be along. I promise. I love you and appreciate you, Lev._

He tried to take his first step to follow her, but his knee gave out. Instantly, she was underneath his arm, supporting him.

"See?" she asked, "You fell pretty hard on that knee. Come with me. We'll get an ice pack."

He wrapped his arm over her shoulders, allowing him to support him as they walked for the front door. Plue bounced excitedly from side to side.

His body was warm. She loved the way his weight leaned on her…she loved the way he _smelled_. It was a musky, forest-like smell. She loved the way his pink locks danced wildly as they walked. But most of all, she loved his smile.

She opened the door to her apartment, helping him into the bathroom. Instantly, Happy jumped up on the counter, sniffing the stranger and pushing his head underneath Natsu's hand to be petted.

"This is Levy's apartment," Natsu commented, glancing around as he picked the kitten up, "That means...you're Levy's roommate."

His eyes widened in realization. _This_ was who Gajeel and Levy were trying so hard to get him to meet. He vowed he wouldn't fight them next time. He _wanted_ to know Lucy better.

Her chocolate-brown eyes glanced up at him, a tiny smile on her face as she noted how Happy had curled right into Natsu's chest, "Levy is my best friend. So...who might you be?"

"I'm Gajeel's roommate," Natsu replied. Plue was nudging Natsu's free hand, begging for attention as well.

"Really...that's interesting. Gajeel and Levy keep telling me to come out with them to meet you," she smiled, wetting the cloth slightly.

Happy was upside-down in Natsu's palm against his chest, purring loudly. Lucy sighed in frustration as Plue sat between Natsu's feet, practically winding himself around them.

"Okay you two!" Lucy chastised them, "Out! How am I supposed to get him cleaned up with the two of you hanging all over him?"

Lucy took Happy from Natsu and shooed both pets into her room, closing the door behind them.

"I'm sorry about that," she told Natsu, "My pets seem to think you're pretty amazing. Plue doesn't even _like_ men."

He laughed, "I like animals...although I have to say, that _was_ an unusual reaction."

Lucy laughed with him until they both stopped to stare at each other. Lucy knew could she seriously get lost in those eyes. They mesmerized her. He was enamoured with how musical her laugh sounded.

She shook it off, her cheeks tinging red as she realized she was staring...again.

"Sit on the counter," she instructed as she hunted through the cabinet for supplies to help her clean him up. She found some hydrogen peroxide and a cloth. He hopped up on the edge of the counter as he was told to, watching her curvaceous form as she moved.

"Let me see that knee," she said softly. She was avoiding eye contact with him now. She wasn't sure what to make of the butterflies in her stomach and eye contact just made it worse.

Pulling the fabric so she could examine the knee, she could see it was quite swollen. An ugly purple had begun to creep along the outer edges.

"I-I…" she stuttered, glancing up to him. Their eyes locked again.

"You need me to take off my pants," he said softly.

Again, she was astounded at how natural it seemed between them as he undid his button and zipper. He eased his hips off of the counter as she slid his pants down his lean thighs. He wore black boxer shorts. Lucy couldn't help herself as she glanced at them…and the bulge that was starting to form inside them.

Natsu prayed that he could keep himself composed. Her breasts heaved at the top of the fabric of her tank top. Her long blonde hair brushed his skin as she hovered over him. Was she having a hard time too?

"It's sprained," she said decidedly, "When we're done here, I'll see if I can get you some crutches from the drugstore."

She dabbed it gently with her cloth, watching him suck in his breath. He was struggling to keep from letting her know that it hurt.

Lucy herself was feeling hot. She prayed that she wasn't sweating. He was driving her wild. She couldn't explain the instant attraction she felt, but it wasn't going away. It didn't help that he was staring at her, watching her every movement.

Satisfied that his knee was cleaned off, she focused on the scratches on his bicep…his _bulging_ bicep. His body was well-toned. But again, it wasn't just his body that had her attention. It was the air of kindness…sweetness…innocence that attracted her to him…it was his smile.

"My name is Natsu," Natsu said softly, watching her rewet the cloth.

She glanced up, giving him a smile that he swore lit up the room, "I'm Lucy."

She dabbed some hydrogen peroxide at his arm. His face twisted at the pain. She wanted to stop, but the cement had been quite dirty. She really didn't want him to have infection in a few days because she did a poor job of cleaning his injuries now.

"What do you do, Natsu?" she asked, holding the wet cloth to his skin to help control the burning.

"I'm a cop," he replied, "And what do you do?"

She smiled, reaching for the gauze so she could wrap his arm.

"I'm an author, I suppose," she stated, applying Polysporin to the largest of the gashes, "Or at least I will be. I actually work with the 8-Island crew. I don't know if you've heard of them recently, but we have a new venture in the works. I'll be writing articles for them."

He nodded, catching her gaze again, "I did hear about that. I was sorry to hear about your boss."

She reached for the tape, cutting off a small amount to hold the bandage, "Me too. She was an amazing lady."

She noted the gash on his forehead, dripping blood down his face. Glancing at his position on the counter, she wondered what the best way to get at it was.

"Just your forehead and then I've fixed you up as best as I can," she whispered, noting the crack in her voice as she moved between his legs.

Natsu felt a bolt of arousal strike through him. She was leaning against the counter between his legs, dabbing at his forehead with the cloth. Her breasts grazed his chest as she cleansed his wound. He found himself staring at her lips, wondering if she realized how close they were.

Natsu reached up with one hand, covering hers. They both stilled, their eyes locking.

"Why do I feel like we know each other?" he asked again, "I can't shake this feeling. I'm going to be honest with you…I'm _not_ trying to freak you…but I am so attracted to you."

"We only just met," she whispered as their noses brushed each other. She gulped, fighting with herself as to whether it was appropriate to tell a stranger she found him attractive too. She felt like they knew each other too. It was inexplicable, yet the most intense feeling she could ever remember having.

"Luce," he whispered. His arms circled around her back. She found herself leaning against his chest in a tight hug, "I can't explain it…"

His voice trailed off. She didn't know what to do. She was standing in the bathroom of her apartment in an intimate embrace with a man she didn't know. And yet it felt so right.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked softly, "I have to know…I have to know what it is."

In answer, she dropped the cloth to the counter, her arms slinking around his neck as she tilted her face. Their noses rubbed against each other again. It was awkward to kiss a stranger...and yet it wasn't. Their lips touched. Electricity bolted through both their bodies as their gentle kiss turned deeper, desperate even.

"I'm sorry!" he breathed, leaning away from her.

They were both panting. For a 2 second kiss, it had been the most intense thing Lucy had ever experienced. She didn't know what it was about this stranger, but she really wanted him. Lucy didn't believe in love at first sight. She believed love was earned over the course of a solid friendship. And yet, if he asked her to in that moment, Lucy had no doubt they'd end up in the bedroom before long.

"I'm not a pervert!" Natsu blurted out awkwardly. His face was as red as the blood on his forehead. He wondered briefly why on Earthland he would say that at all, "Honestly! I swear to you - I don't go running around, pushing people out of the street to meet girls!"

She laughed nervously, "And I swear to you, I'm not one to kiss in the first 20 minutes of knowing someone…"

She paused, glancing into his eyes again. Their arms were still wrapped around each other.

"I feel it too, Natsu," she admitted in a whisper.

His eyes widened at her admission. They looked into each other's eyes for a long moment before he claimed her lips again for another slow, deliberate kiss.

"Maybe," Natsu said when the kiss had broken, "Maybe we could go somewhere for a drink when we go back downtown to find crutches."

Their foreheads were together. They were both excited and they both knew it. But Lucy knew as he made his suggestion that Natsu was not the kind of guy that would take advantage of her. He wanted to get to know her.

"I would like that," she whispered.

She helped him off the counter once she'd placed a gauze bandage on his forehead. As he got to the ground, he put his arms around her shoulders again to support him. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers gently.

They were halfway out the door when Lucy looked down, her face turning red.

"What is it?" he asked, brushing her cheek with his hand.

"Natsu…your pants."

* * *

Crime Sorciere found Levy at a crosswalk, staring into the distance.

Gajeel wrapped his arms around her, kissing her tears away.

"It'll be okay, Shrimp," he promised.

But the look on her face didn't exude pain. Levy lifted her hand, pointing across the street. Jellal, Erza, Minerva, Erik, Wendy, Sorano, Gray and Juvia gathered around her, following her pointed finger.

Natsu and Lucy were walking together toward town. He was limping, but she supported his weight. Their arms were wrapped around each other as they walked and talked. They both had smiles on their faces as they talked in hushed tones, their faces red with the new dawning of love.

"I've been watching for awhile now," Levy said softly, "They found each other."

"They found each other," Wendy repeated in a whisper.

Erza felt a tear roll down her cheek, "Maybe what they needed was to find each other on their own, in their own time."

Gray moved behind Juvia, pulling her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "I think you're right. Love can't be pushed. It will happen when it's meant to be."

Jellal squeezed Erza's hand, their eyes making brief contact.

Erik smiled in satisfaction, wrapping one arm around Minerva, the other around Sorano. Sorano and Minerva each had a hand on Wendy's shoulder.

The Aura had changed again.

* * *

Across the street, the driver of the car that had almost hit Lucy and Natsu smiled to herself too.

 _They found each other._

Mavis had been true to her word. All of Natsu and Lucy's memories of each other were gone...but she hadn't erased the love they felt for each other. She didn't have to. The attraction between them was magnetic. Not even she could have erased it if she tried.

Of course, _she hadn't tried._

She slid her sunglasses on her face, adjusting her blonde hair into a ponytail, and started the car.

"You ready?" she asked her passenger, who was watching Natsu and Lucy with tears in her eyes. They were coming out of the drug store now, Lucy fawning over Natsu as she held the door open for him and his crutches.

"They're going to be okay, aren't they?" Layla asked, sighing happily.

Both Layla and Mavis took a last look at Lucy and Natsu. They were sitting on a bench now, his knee propped up into her lap where she was icing it. They were deep in conversation, completely oblivious to the world around them.

"Yeah," Mavis agreed, "They're going to be fine."

Neither of them looked back as Mavis pulled the car out onto the road, headed for the open highway that would take her and Layla out of Magnolia. It was time for them to face their own new beginnings now, assured in the knowledge that Natsu and Lucy would look after each other for the rest of time with their epic love that had transcended both Heaven and Earthland.

They could rest in the assurance that Lucy finally had her happy ending with Natsu Dragneel, formerly known as...

...the _Angel of Oops._

 **The End**

* * *

 _ **So there it is. I hope you enjoyed the ending.**_

 _ **I will post my thank yous (and possibly an epilogue depending on reviews) in a few days.**_

 _ **I can't do it right now...too emotional.**_

 _ **Thank you, Readers, for your loyalty and for being so diligent in your commenting, following, liking, etc...**_

 _ **...I've enjoyed talking to you all and it's been a real pleasure to get to know you.**_

 _ **UGH! Such bittersweet emotions!**_

 _ **I am really going to miss the Angel of Oops.**_

 _ **With love,**_

 _ **~ShanaHollows~**_


	66. Epilogue

_So here we are…weeks after the end of Angel of Oops. I cannot thank everyone enough for their support._

 _Thank you all for enjoying this story as much I loved writing it._

 _Guest Commenters, I couldn't reply to your comments, but I appreciated every one of them!_

 _Everyone else who commented, I loved our conversations...thank you for your thoughts!_

 _I have to say – I've really missed talking to you all these past few weeks!_

 _Thank you also to everyone who liked and followed. You are all amazing!_

 _A special thank-you to OtakuPrincess 28 for proofreading for me!_

 _Stay tuned for a possible collaboration!_

 _So without further ado, here is an epilogue... of sorts…_

* * *

Lucy's eyes fluttered open slowly as she adjusted to the bright light streaming through the window. She placed her arm over her eyes momentarily, wondering if she could get another 10 minutes of sleep before she absolutely _had_ to get out of bed.

She leaned back into the arms that she knew would be waiting there. Natsu enclosed her inside his embrace, snuggling into her back with a kiss to her neck.

"Happy Anniversary, Baby," he whispered in her ear.

She giggled, "And what Anniversary is it today?"

Natsu started almost every morning with wishing her a Happy Anniversary. He remembered every detail of their days together from the get-go. She was sure he had a diary somewhere, but she'd never found it. It was either he had a diary, or he made everything up. He claimed he had an amazing memory.

He wished her Happy Anniversary for their first kiss…well, their first kiss unprompted by the initial attraction (3 days after they met) …for their first date (actually, that was the first, second _and_ third days after they'd met) … for their first 'I-love-you's' (at 2 weeks) … and the day he proposed (at 2 months – neither saw a reason to wait).

Every day, he remembered something special that happened between them over their 5 year romance, right down to memories of different dinners they'd had and tender moments normal men would have forgotten about, such as the date they moved in together and the first time Lucy cooked dinner for him…the first time he cooked dinner for her. He always started the day by hugging her back and whispering his memory of the day to her. Most of the time, they would end up having sex by the time he'd finished recanting it. His romantic gestures drove her wild.

"It was 5 years ago today," Natsu began, slipping his arms around her waist so that he could massage her as he told his story, "I had just finished taking my road test and was thrilled because I'd managed to get my licence."

He paused to kiss up her neck as she sighed happily, recanting that day.

"You picked me up in that red cavalier," she remembered, "And you told me you wanted to do something extra special to commemorate the day."

"I _meant_ we would go for a drive along the beach and have a picnic in some secluded ravine," Natsu continued.

"But we didn't even make it through the picnic before we…" Lucy chuckled, "That was a beautiful place. Exquisitely beautiful."

"Perfect for our first time together. Best day of my life," Natsu whispered in her ear before nipping it playfully.

"You say that every day!" Lucy turned in his arms so that she faced him.

"I mean it every day," he replied before claiming her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

There was a knock at the door.

"Mama!" a little voice called, "I'm hungry but Lark ate all the cereal and I can't reach the new box!"

Lucy and Natsu both sighed contentedly.

"Aaaaand our ten minutes are up," Lucy said softly, kissing her husband's nose, "I guess we'll have to wait to recreate that date tonight."

"Hmm," he growled, "I'm gonna make you _keep_ that promise!"

She giggled again, "Will do."

"We're coming!" Natsu called toward the door.

Begrudgingly, Natsu and Lucy got out of bed, going for their housecoats to see what their rugrats were up to out in the kitchen.

Four-year-old Lark was sitting at the table, eating the last of the opened box of cereal. Three-year-old Aki was pointing to the unopened box that she wanted, which Natsu immediately started to reach for her. The twins, 2-years-old, Haru and Aimi were sitting in front of the television, curled up together on the couch with Plue and Happy. As if on cue, the baby, Hansuke (6 months old) started to cry. Lucy went off to get him out of the crib and change him.

Natsu glanced contently at his brood. 3 boys and 2 girls. It was everything he'd ever wanted. But he was pretty sure he and Lucy weren't done having children yet. The children were their lives. And Natsu and Lucy BOTH felt they had a lot more love to give.

Lark and the twins were adopted. About a year ago, there had been a vicious fire at the local orphanage. Natsu had responded with the police units and had stormed into the building against protests from Sting to get the remaining children who were trapped inside. Gajeel had followed him and between the two of them, three children who were too little to escape the building on their own were rescued from certain death. Natsu instantly fell in love with them and petitioned Lucy right away about adopting them, even though they had little Aki at home and she was pregnant. But Lucy didn't hesitate. Both Natsu and Lucy had a firm belief that every child had the right to be loved unconditionally. Plus, the three of them were adorable. Before the new baby came, Natsu and Lucy had already brought their new children home with them.

Lucy emerged from the bedroom, Hansuke balanced on her hip. Nodding to Lucy, Natsu grabbed the remote control and turned off the TV.

"Come and sit with Mommy and Daddy," Natsu told the twins, "We need to tell you something."

The twins joined the rest of the family at the table. When everyone was seated, Natsu continued.

"Something very special is happening today," he told them with his trademark wide grin, "Does anyone remember what it is?"

"Mommy's work!" Lark said brightly.

"That's _right!"_ Lucy exclaimed, "Today we get to go to Mommy's work and open the new doors! Won't that be fun?"

"Will Ren and Saichi be there?" Aki asked, referring to Sting and Yukino's 3 and 2 year old children.

Natsu nodded, "and also Sora and Daisuke."

Sora was the daughter that Gajeel had adopted with Levy just after the orphanage fire. She was four. Daisuke was Rogue and Laki's oldest at almost 5. She was pregnant with their second child.

Natsu and Lucy beamed at each other as their children started discussing what toys to bring with them to the grand opening of Fairy Tail Earthland. There were a lot of reasons to be proud today. Fairy Tail was finally a reality. 'Juvia's Kitchen' was doing extremely well. They had an amazing family. Today would be another memory that Natsu would bring up in future mornings.

* * *

The children were sent to the playroom that had been built for them in the corner of the massive Fairy Tail building. They had a daycare worker already in there, ready to play games with the children.

The 'Juvia's Kitchen' crew arrived roughly the same time Lucy and Natsu did, proud smiles beaming on everyone's faces. Shortly after, the door opened again, announcing the arrival of Sting, Yukino, Rogue, and Laki and their children.

Gajeel and Levy arrived with Sora in tow. It was still weird to Natsu that Gajeel would not be donning the police uniform often anymore. He would still work for Sting privately or on certain missions, but Gajeel had given up his spot as Lieutenant at the Magnolia Police Department for the most part. He had stepped down from the police station in order to become Fairy Tail's Chief Officer of Security.

Levy had been approached by Rufus Lore, the gentleman she had decoded a message for several years ago, the minute that he had learned she left Freed and the Magnolia Library. He opened a second branch of his museum in Magnolia, putting Levy in charge of its' contents. Levy was now a full-time cryptographer and she was gaining quite the reputation. People came from all over the place to have her look at their antiques with cryptic messages.

They would hold the official Grand Opening of Fairy Tail Earthland in the restaurant area.

'Juvia's Kitchen' had been an instant hit upon its' opening 7 months after Natsu had met Lucy. As the crew worked the restaurant, Cana, Mest, Loke, Laki, Lisanna, and Virgo had all returned to school and recently earned their degrees like they said they would. Laki was now a full-fledged lawyer, able to coach their clients about their rights and obligations. Loke, Mest, and Virgo had all taken Criminal Law Enforcement courses. While they were not full police officers, they did get privileges that included the right to chase down a suspect, arrest them, and book them at the police station as well as use any necessary means to protect their clients. Cana and Lisanna both took Counseling classes and graduated as therapists. Lucy herself had decided that it would be a good idea, since she was always chasing children these days, to take night courses in counseling when she was not writing articles for the paper. She would get her degree soon as well.

Lisanna passed out the wine glasses. Cana followed behind her, pouring a generous amount of wine into each glass. Laki settled for grape juice since she was pregnant.

"We did it!" Mest raised his glass, "We have even completed our first mission and have two more clients coming in next week! Our first witness-protection cases!"

Loke grinned, "Aries reported to me this morning that she'd handling things better today. She's reading through the material Lucy wrote over the past couple months and she says she identifies with other victims so much."

Aries had been their first client, a domestic abuse victim. They had managed to get court restraints in place immediately to keep her safe from her ex-boyfriend and set her up with a job at 'Juvia's Kitchen' so she could get back on her feet. It seemed, over the past several weeks, that she and Loke were gaining a close friendship.

"To Fairy Tail!" Cana raised her glass, the other clinking each others' glasses as they echoed her words.

Cana was spending more time with her father these days. Their relationship had a long way to go yet, but compared to 5 years ago, the two were close. Their biggest source of problems now was that Gildarts didn't care for her new boyfriend,

"And to Juvia – may your afterlife be filled with peace and love!" Lisanna added. Again, the rest of them responded with clinking glasses.

Sitting in the shadows, Gray and Juvia clinked their own glasses together with Jellal and Erza. Makarov had reassigned part of Crime Sorciere to look after the Fairy Tail Earthland Division. They might not know they were being looked after, but Heaven's resources predicted Fairy Tail Earthland would be busy in the coming years with new missions that could require Angelic intervention. Gray and Juvia would work in the shadows with Jellal and Erza to protect the staff and help Gajeel and Levy look after Natsu and Lucy.

"I really wish we could appear to them," Juvia sighed heavily, "I'm so proud of all of them."

"One day they'll all join us," Jellal replied, reaching for Erza's hand, "But let's hope that's not for a very long time to come."

Gray and Juvia had traveled Earthland with Crime Sorciere for 5 years before it was decided that they would be reassigned to the new Earthland version of Fairy Tail. Every day, he realized how lucky he was to have another chance with Juvia. In turn, Juvia loved Gray with her whole heart. They were happy no matter where they were, as long as they were together.

Jellal and Erza's romance took a little longer to become solid since Jellal took a long time to accept that he too deserved to be happy. They spent a couple years dating in secret, although Erik pointed out they couldn't hide the Aura they exuded. Even Wendy knew.

Erza spent a lot of time with Ultear, overseeing her recovery. Last week, Ultear had taken her first steps after a dozen years in her wheelchair. She was able to speak short sentences again. The recovery had been miraculous. Minerva had burst out crying, realizing there was hope that her sister would return to the land of the living, thanking Erza for the things she must have said to Ultear to motivate her.

The small victory had made Jellal and Erza realize everyone deserved their chance to start over and had their first officially-known date a day or two afterward. It was then that Makarov had offered for Jellal and Erza to join Gray and Juvia in protecting Fairy Tail Earthland. His relationship with Erza was new…it was fragile…but it felt right for them to try their relationship again...this time as adult Angels.

As hard as it was for Jellal to step down from being Crime Sorciere's leader, he knew Erik would do a good job in his stead and he believed in his new purpose wholeheartedly. Minerva would take Erik's role as second-in-command. Sorano and Wendy would remain with Crime Sorciere, amongst various new recruits over the past 5 years, including Ezel, who had passed away in jail.

To Jellal's knowledge, it would be awhile before Dan, Samuel, Jackal, and Kyoka would join Crime Sorciere. Dan and Samuel were serving at the same penitentiary. Over the past 5 years, they had been allowed visitation with each other frequently due to their efforts to rehabilitate, although it was unlikely either of them would breathe air as free men ever again. Kyoka withdrew from the other inmates at an all women's jail, citing that she deserved to be alone. Jackal was moved to a higher-security jail when he was caught making a homemade bomb out of soap.

"Food's ready!" Mest announced, coming out of the kitchen, "Let's call the kids!"

Lucy and Laki were happy to go get the children. Their banquet table extended through a good portion of the restaurant. Mest and Virgo had prepared the meal buffet style, much to Natsu's absolute glee. He _loved_ buffet.

Lucy took Lark and Hansuke to get them some food while Natsu took the twins and Aki.

"Mommy," Lark said thoughtfully, glancing over to the corner of the restaurant.

"What is it, Baby…would you like some spaghetti squash?" Lucy asked, balancing his plate in one hand. Hansuke took up her other arm.

"Aren't we going to ask those people to join us at the table?" Lark asked, pointing to the corner.

Jellal, Erza, Gray, and Juvia stopped their conversation, eyeing the child with curiosity.

Lucy glanced to the empty corner, smiling at her little boy as she stooped to his eye level, "Lark, we talked about this. There's nobody in that corner. Please don't make up pretend people."

"But I'm not pretending!" he exclaimed, "I see two men and a lady with super-red hair and that lady in the picture!"

Lucy paused, frowning slightly. Lark had been living with them for awhile now. Therapists thought he told stories to get attention because he believed he would be abandoned again. It took him a long time to understand that Lucy and Natsu would never give him up. Sometimes they weren't sure if he understood that even now.

They'd been told that nobody really knew where Lark came from. He had no known past. He was picked up off the streets and was moved from foster-home to foster-home. He was between foster-homes when the fire broke out at the orphanage. He'd always come up with elaborate stories about people he talked to that no one else could see. Lately, the stories had become less and less as he became more confident in his acceptance as part of Natsu and Lucy's family.

Lucy's gaze followed his little pointed finger to the picture hanging on the wall.

 _Juvia._

"Sweetheart," Lucy said softly, "That's just not possible. Miss Juvia in the picture passed away."

"But she's right there, Mommy!" Lark insisted, pointing back to the corner.

"Larcade, that's quite enough," Lucy said sternly, "Now…would you like some spaghetti squash?"

Lark didn't respond, not really wanting the lecture from his mother. She only used his full name when she meant business. As soon as she wasn't looking, he waved at the Angels, then followed his mother back to the table to enjoy the incredible food from 'Juvia's Kitchen'.

"What the heck…" Gray said in a low voice, actually afraid that someone might be able to hear them, even though it should be impossible.

"That child…" Erza's voice trailed off as they waved back to him.

It was clear that the child could see them. The question was _why._

Jellal's eyes narrowed as he excused himself from the table.

He took out his cell phone, stepping away from the restaurant doors just a little more to make sure that no one would be able to hear him.

"Mavis," he said as the phone call was picked up, "We found him."

 _Uh-oh…I think I just committed to a sequel…_

 _Please remember to comment!_

 _Merry Christmas!_

 _~ShanaHollows~_

 _P.S. Tears are flowing again...I just hit the COMPLETE button..._


	67. Spoiler: An Angel of Oops 2

_**My children are at their dad's for Christmas, so I've been playing with the sequel to Angel of Oops.**_

 _ **It will take some time to complete, but here is a small spoiler for you.**_

 _ **For those of you that don't know (forgive me for the manga spoiler), Larcade is Zeref's son.**_

 _ **I'm in the process of researching his character...again, it will take some time to really capture him.**_

 ** _Being that he is largely unexplored in the Fan Fic-dom, I'm really excited about this new idea._**

 ** _So here it is...a small spoiler from one of the first chapters_**

 ** _Thank you for supporting Angel of Oops..._**

 ** _Please note the 'An Angel of Oops Christmas' has been posted. It's cute and worth a read._**

 ** _Until next time!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**

* * *

Wendy smiled, taking in Larcade's handsome features as she laid her hands on him, healing the worst of his injuries. She was there at Jellal's request. Even though he wasn't the leader of Crime Sorciere anymore, the remaining members jumped at his beck and call. He would _always_ be respected as the Crime Sorciere leader, even though Erik was doing an extremely good job of taking over for him.

Natsu and Lucy were on either side of Lark, each holding a hand as all three of them slept. Wendy chuckled as she realized Natsu was still in his pajamas. Apparently in the emergent nature of the day, no one had brought a change of clothes to the hospital.

She finished healing the nerves in his arm, reaching up to touch his forehead. It was bandaged, but she knew from her earlier observations, he would have scarring. It was a miracle he didn't have a concussion.

He caught her wrist just as she was about to touch him, letting go of Natsu's hand. Natsu didn't even stir.

"Who are you?" he whispered, locking eyes with her.

There were a lot of reasons this was awkward for Wendy. While she knew Larcade well from years of guarding the entire family, he didn't have a clue who she was. Also, there was the fact that he shouldn't be able to see her. Crime Sorciere, Gray and Juvia, and Erza and Jellal all realized several years ago that Lark had the ability to see them as Angels and were very careful in how they guarded the family so he wouldn't see them. Furthermore, he should _not_ be able to touch her. Then again, nothing surprised her anymore when it came to Larcade. He was unusual and mysterious.

"My name is Wendy," she said soothingly, "I'm here to help you heal."

He glanced around the hospital room, realizing what must have happened. He noted both of his parents fast asleep in the chairs beside the hospital bed, his mother still tightly grasping one hand.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

She opened her mouth in shock. He wasn't questioning that she was there to heal him?

"You've got a badly broken arm," she said, "I was just about to heal your forehead. There's a nasty gash there."

He settled back onto his pillow and nodded, "Go ahead."

She placed her hand on his forehead, light emanating through it.

"You're really pretty," he whispered as he watched her.

Wendy blushed. Her long, dark blue hair was parted into two long pigtails. Nobody had ever told her she was pretty before. She was the baby of Crime Sorciere and the others treated her as such. She had no doubt she was loved, but in a lot of ways, she was lonely sometimes. She was the youngest by far. She wished she had a few more Angels around her age to hang out with. And something about the way Lark spoke to her sent shivers through her spine. Technically, she was many years his senior, but since she was an Angel, she would remain 16 for a long time yet.

"Thank you," she said finally.

She removed her hand, trying not to blush anymore. He was staring at her. On impulse, she reached out, running her fingers through his thick blonde hair.

"You should be a little more mindful of what you do," she told him gently, "You really scared Natsu and Lucy this time."

He nodded, closing his eyes as he enjoyed her fingers in his hair.

"Be good," she whispered.

She removed her hand and got off the bed, deciding to go through the door because he was still watching her so intently.

"Will I see you again?" Lark asked, his hand extended toward her.

"I'll be seeing you," she promised.

He caught her cryptic insinuation. _She'd been watching him for awhile._

She waved her hand as she walked through the door, erasing his memories of the last 10 minutes.

Lark stared at the door for several minutes with a smile on his face.

"Silly girl," he whispered, "I won't forget you."


	68. Thank you - One last Author's Note

I've deleted the 68th chapter and put this one up instead because I want to thank everyone for supporting Angel of Oops.

I am overwhelmed with the amazing comments, likes and follows.

Also a huge thank you for my amazing betas Wordsaremyspells1331 and OtakuPrincess28. It takes a village to write a story…and I have depended on both of you heavily for your support.

Also, I would like to officially announce my retirement when I finish writing Angel of Oops 2. We are getting toward the climax of that story. I plan to have Before I Get Gray done around that time as well … and then I won't be posting anymore large stories (although I may not be able to help posting the odd one shot).

Happy New Year to all. May 2018 be your best year yet!

Love always,

Shana


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